LIBRARY OF CONGRESS, 



%P--'^"Gop5og|tlt>.- 



'1^ -"■'+' 



o 



UNITE© STATES OF AMERICA. 



THE NEW 



BEE-KEEPEBS' TEIT BOOK, 

BY 

A. J. KING, 

EDITOR OF "THE BEE-KEEPERS' MAGAZINE." 

TWENTY - FOURTH EDITION, FIFTY- SECOND THOUSAND. 
Being a thorough reyision of the Old Text Book 
. c ? By N. H & H. A. KING. 

ENLARGED AND ILLUSTRATED. 



NEW YORK: flSil d- 

ORANGE JUDD COMPANY. 

245 BROADWAY. 
1879. 






Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1878, by 
A. J. KING & CO. 
In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington. 



TO 
BEE-KEEPERS EVERYWHERE 

■\l'HOSE CHOSEN PURSUIT HE WOULD GLADLY RENDER STILL 
MORE ATTRACTIVE, PLEASANT, AND PROFITABLE, 
THIS WORK IS PRESENTED 

BY THE AUTHOR. 



PREFACE, 



The successful cultivation of the honey bee, depends upon a 
correct knowledge of the laws by which the economy of the 
hive is regulated ; comply with these laws and you reap a golden 
harvest— disregard them and disappointment and loss are the 
certain result. 

The following pages are designed to impart : 

1st. A knowledge of these laws. 

2d. Instruction how to comply with their requirements, 

3d. Caution against their violation. 

To accomplish these ends we have endeavored : 

1st. To bring the language within the comprehension of the 
man of limited education and means, to whom bee-keeping com- 
mends itself on account of its large pecuniary returns for the 
capital and attention required. 

2d. To present, the practical part of the subject fuUy and yet 
briefly, believing, as we do, that condensation, to the greatest 
possible extent consistent with a full exposition of the subject, 
not only diminishes the cost but increases the value of a work of 
this kind. 

3d. To convey the most valuable knowledge, we have drawn ' 
from every available source, not having been ambitious to write 
a work purely original. Yet, as theories are worthless unlewi 



VI PREJ-ACE. 

founded in truth, we have only accepted facts which have been 
demonstrated by eminent apiarians, and confirmed by many 
years' experience of our own, devoted aknost exclusively to bee 
culture. 

In our investigations in apiarian science, we have received 
material aid from the writings of Huber, Bevan, Dzierzon, 
Quinby, Harbison, Langstroth, Miner, Metcal^ Wagner, and 
many others, both ancient and modem. 

Although the demand which called this work into existence 
was created by the favor with which the bee-keeping pubhc 
received the American side-opening hive, yet we have endeav- 
ored to adapt the instruction to the use of both common and 
movable-comb hives. 

N. H. & H. A. KING. 



PREFACE TO THE REVISED EDITION. 



The size, cost, and character of the "Bee-Keepers* Text Book" 
procured for it a great circulation. Simplicity of language^ clearness 
of statement, and practical directness made it for years acceptable to 
to the general reader and a real hand book to the apiarian. When writ- 
ten it was abreast of the times ; but new discoveries and inventions in 
apiculture render it necessary to revise the book so as to furnish all 
needed information to thousands now entering upon this promising 
industry. 

The old book was written in the era of patents and partly, in the 
interest of the American Hive, and treated partly of management in 
common box hives. Patents on important parts of hives are now ended, 
and information for management in common box hives is not now 



Many good movable comb hives aie made at present and the only 
need now is for a text book to guide the beekeeper in the various mani- 
pulations of the apiary and adapted to all the improvements in bee- 
keeping, which is destined to become one of the great industries of 
America. Since the publication of the old book the invention of the 
Honey Extractor, and the successful use of artificial Comb-foundation 
have materially changed the mode of management necessary to secure 
the greatest results. In addition to these two great discoveries, im- 
proved smokers, feeders, and modes of securing and packing honey in 



Viii PBEFACB TO THE BEVISSD EDITIOK: 

boxes, jars, and packages best suited to the market, are of such import- 
ance that we no"w issue 

THE NEW BEE-KEEPEBS' TEXT BOOK, 

in which all that is good in the old book is retained; that which has been 
out-grown, left out; and additions made, covering the full use of all im" 
provements in bee-keeping so as to secure the very best results. 

We confidently commend the "New Bee-keepers' Text Book" to all 
lovers of nature and all interested in this industry. 

The beginner will find in it just such information and guidance as 
he daily needs, and the advanced apiarian will find it a useful hand- 
book and companion. 

New Yobk, June 20th, 1878. 



INTRODUCTION. 



BEE-KEEPING. 



The culture of tlie honey bee lias engaged the attention of 
intelligent and enterprising men of all ages ; yet within a few 
years, by the introduction of improved movable frames and other 
improvements, this pursuit, always attractive, is rendered no 
longer a business of "luck" or chance, but as certain and more 
remunerative, with small capital, than any other rural occupation. 

About five years ago, it was estimated, in the "American 
Bee Journal," that there were then seventy thousand bee* 
keepers in the United States, many attending to several apiaries, 
with from one hundred to three hundred swarms in each, and 
yet, with the increasing light and interest, hundreds, all over the 
country, are engaging in this branch of industry. In the mind 
of the uninformed but enquiring reader, a few questions will 
arise, which we will here only briefly notice, as he can refer, 
from the index, to each subject — ^more fully treated under its 
appropriate head. 

Is there not danger of overstocking the country f 

Says M. Quinby, one of the most extensive bee-keepers in the 
world, "this interest in bees should be encouraged to continue 
till enough are kept to collect all the honey now wasted, which, 
ccmpared with the present collections, would be more than a 
thousand pounds to one." 



INTRODUCTION. 



Do not some fail of success in hee-keeping ? 

Yes, just as the farmer fails who neglects his fences, plows 
his lands when too wet, or crops them until their fertihty is 
exhausted. So in bee-keeping. Some fail through gross neglect, 
or allow their bees to become so weakened by overswarming as 
to fall an easy prey to the moth ; while others " divide " till they 
are left without "quotient" or "remainder." Let us profit by 
their experience, and prosperity will be the result. 

Is not watching for swarms^ hiving, c&c, perplexing in large 
apiaries ? 

Yes : and you wiU find a complete remedy in the chapter on 
"Nucleus Swarming," which enables you to swarm many stocks 
at one time, securing to each new swarm a fertile queen, without 
removing the old queen from the parent stock or scarcely inter- 
rupting its labors. By this method, you will obtain a steady 
increase of stocks, avoid queenless swarms by loss of young 
queens ; thus, aU colonies are kept strong, enabling them to bid 
defiance to the moth-miller and other enemies. This, in the 
words of an eminently practical bee-keeper, "is both sure and 
economical;" doing away with all watching and loss by flight to 
the woods. 

Is it true that there are only a few who understand the secret of 
handling or " charming " hees f 

That there are a few who claim to have some great secret, 
and convince gaping crowds by performing tricks and wonder- 
ful [?] feats with bees, (not forgetting to pocket the proceeds of 
the supposed secret,) we readily admit. Yet, it is also true that 
there are hundreds of sucoessfiil bee-keepers in the United States, 



INTRODUCTION. 



who esteem the good of the cause and their reputation, of more 
value than money thus obtained from the uninformed, and freely 
communicate instruction how to safely perform all needful opera- 
tions. One of them says, " acquaint yourself with the principles 
of management^ * * and you will find that you have httle 
more reason to dread the sting of a bee than the horns of a 
favorite cow, or the heels of your faithful horse." 

WHO SHOULD KEEP BEES? 

We reply, all classes who want a healthy, pleasant and profit- 
able occupation. 

Says Rev. Robert Baird, "there are few portions of our 
country which are not admirably adapted to the culture of the 
honey bee. The wealth of the nation might be increased by 
millions of doUars, if every family favorably situated, would keep 
a few hives. No other branch of industry can be named, in 
which there need be so little loss on the material employed, or 
which so completely derives its profits from the vast and exhaust- 
less domains of nature." 

The Farmer should keep Bees to coUect the honey afforded by 
his orchards, timber lands and broad pasture fields; for "profit 
must attend success in this branch of the farmer's stock, inas- 
much as bees work for nothing and find themselves." 

The Mechanic should keep Bees^ as those who work in wood 
can make their own hives, beside supplying their neighbors; 
and all wiU find that, for the little time and capital required, it 
wiU materially affect their expenses and income. 

The Horticulturist should keep Bees to gather the delicious 



Xli INTRODUCTION 

nectar which "would else be lost on desert air," and also to 

mingle the pollen of flowers, for 

Trees -vnll flourish all the more, 
When flowers mate by rifled store. 

The Invalid^ bj spending a portion of his time in the open 

air, caring for his bees, will not only find his purse replenished, 

but, what is better, returning health. 

He who with health would live at ease, 
Should cultivate both fruit and bees ; 
. Much labor though the first demands, 
The second 's for more feeble hands. 

The Merchant and Professional Man^ and all who spend much 
of their time indoors^ will find in bee-keeping a pleasant, health* 
fill outdoor pastime, invigorating to both mind and body. 

Those who own no land may keep Bees. In raising horses or 
cattle, one must own or hire his pasture lands. They are very 
serviceable, but they must he fed. Bees require but Httle room, 
and find their own food ; for " roam where they will, the whole 
region is their common." 

The Aged, and in short, every person, who wishes to engage in 
a light occupation, which wiU secure health, ease and indepen- 
dence, should give this subject an earnest and candid examination 

Bees multiply rapidly, and one who has ten stocks, may, with 
care, soon expect to have a hundred, and a moderate increase 
need not interfere with a large annual harvest of honey. 

To the wants of what class , of mankind has not the Creator 
admirably adapted the industry of this insect, and how eloquently 
this adaptation speaks of his goodness, wisdom and care for the 
welfare of his creatures ? 



TABLE OF CONTENTS. 

.—•♦♦♦--—« 

Page- 

Copiotrs Alphabetioai, Index IS 

Chapter I. Physiology of Bees 19 

Chapteb 11. Natural Swarming 25 

Chapter III. Bee Pasturage and Products 45 

Chapter IV. Extractors, Comb Foundations, Surplus Honey in Boxes and 

Extracted, Marketing Honey 58 

Chapter V. Artificial Swarming 9-4 

Chapter VL The Apiary.. 124 

Chapter VIL Diary of Honey Plants 160 

Chapter VIII. Monthly Management 181 

Chapter IX. Hives 200 

Chapter X. Biography of Bee Keepers 212 

o 

ALPHABETICAL INDEX. 

Absconding Swarms, 26, 27— How Prevented, 32— How Captured 128 

Advantages of Bee Keeping, 9 — Who should Keep Bees, 11— Profits of, 74 157 

Advantages of the Nucleus System of Swarming 105 

Advantages Secured in the Construction of Hives .201 

After Swarming, 33— Cause of and How Prevented 34 

Age of Bees, 20— Queens, 20— Drones, 21— Worker 22 

Alsike Clover 168 

Apiary, 124— Best Location, 125— How to Stock it, 127— Monthly Management.. 181 

Anger of Bees, 10 — How Subdued 42 

Ants, How to Banish them from the Apiary 143 

Artificial Swarming— Time for, 95— Different Methods 97 

August Management 194 

Bar Hives and Bar Frames used in Germany 202 

Basswood or Linden affords much Choice Honey 46,51, 163 

Bee Bread or Pollen, 51— Rye Meal Best Substitute for 52 

Bee Feeders 155 

Bee Glue or Propolis 52 

Bee Houses, 126— A Shed Best and how Constructed 126 

Bee Keeping, 9— Profits of, 157— How to Commence 128 

Bee Pasturage, 45— Crops Most Valuable for both Seed and Honey 49 

Bee Stings, 79— How to Neutralize the Poison 44 



xiv ^ ALPHABETICAL INDEX. 

Bee's Tongue 78 

Bee Veil M, 84 

Bees, Three Classes, 19— Worker, 22— Queen, 21— Her Fertilization, 32— Her 

Loss, 35— Signs of 56 

Bees, Killing with Brimstone to Obtain Honey 201 

Bees, Naturfi Swarming, 25 — Hiving, 21— How to Prevent them from Leaving 

the Hive, 32— Wintering , 146 

Bees Wild, How to Hunt Them, 130— How to Trap Eobbers or Wild Bees 

Without Finding the Tree 133 

Bees, Italian, 107— Superiority of, 109— How to Change Stocks of Common 

Black Bees to Italians 114 

Bees, Monthly Managent of, 181— Quieting and Handling, 42— Moving, 135 

— Transferring Bees and Combs into Frame Hives 136,138 

Beeswax Extractor 60,89 

Bellows Smoker 43 

Borage 175 

Boneset or Thoroughwort 176 

Biography of Bee Keepers 212, 229 

Boxes for Surplus Honey, 63— How to Induce the Bees to Commence and 

Continue Working in them 66 

Breeding 23 

Buckwheat a Valuable Pasturage, 47 — Tirae of Sowing 50 

Buying Bees, How to Select Valuable Stock 127 

Cage for Queen, , 122 

Candy as Food for Bees in Winter, 153 

Catnip as a Honey Crop, 46—51 

Catnip, Motherwort and Hoarhound 175 

Caution to the Beginner, 84 

Cells, different size of Drone and Worker, 24— Royal Cells 102 

Cocoon spun by Young Bee as left in the Cell, 56 

Colony, if Prosperous, consists of, 19 

Color of Hives, 205 

Comb Foundation, 61— How to Fasten in Frame, 87— Advantage of Using it, 88 

Comb, Composition of, 52— To secure it Built True in Frames, 54 

Comb, Drone and Worker, 24, 100 — To Preserve from Moth, 144 

Comb, only Defective to be Removed, 56 — Melting into Wax 57 

City Bee Keeping, 71 

Consumption of Honey, 74 

Cultivating Honey Crops, 49 

Dampness Injurious to Bees, 56, 151 

December Management, .198 

Defective Combs, 56 

Dedication, 3 

Deformed Cells, 77 



ALPHABETICAL INDEX. xv 

Derivation of word Bee, 76 

Description of New Improvements, 86 

Diary of Honey Plants, 160, 180 

Dividing, 97 

Doubling Stocks Yearly by Nucleus Swarming, 106 

Driving or Forced Swarming, 97 

Drones, 21— Drone Comb, 24, 100— Drone Cells, 77 

Eggs, Number Laid, 20 — How Fecundated, 21 — Time to Mature, 24 

February Management, 182 

Feeding Bees, ^ 153 

Fertility of Queen, 20— Decreases with Age, 37— Italian most Prolific, 109 

Fertilization of Young Queens, 82 

Fertilization in Confinement, 210 

Flowers for Bees, 46 

Flour a Substitute for Pollen, 52 

Foul Brood, 209 

Frames, Moveable, their Invention and Improvement 202 

Fruit Trees, 160 

Fruit Tree»Flowers "Valuable to Induce Early Swarming, 24, 45 

Golden Kod and Asters, 171, 175 

Handling Bees, 42 

Hatching and Fertilization of Queens, 32 

Hives, 200— Hive Essentials, 203 

Honey Boxes, 63 

Honey Comb, 77 

Honey Crate, 67 

Honey Crops, 49 

Honey, Different Qualities Gathered, 45— Stored in Frames, 129— In Boxes, 20O 

Honey Extractor, 59, 60 — Advantages of. 91 

Honey Industry, 74 

How to Prevent Swarms from Leaving their Hives, 32 

How to Prevent Swarms from Clustering together, 29 

How to Separate Them, 30 

How to get the Comb Built True in the Frame, 54 

How to Stock an Apiary, 127 

Hunting Wild Bees, 130— Trapping Them 133 

Introduction, 9 

Introducing an Italian Queen 115, 117 

Increase of Stocks 15 

Impregnation of Queen Bee 20, 33, 103 

Importance of New Blood in the Apiary HI 

Italian Honey Bee 107 

Italian Queen Rearing 114, 118, 120 

Italianizing a Whole- Apiary 116 



xvi ALPHABETICAL INDEX. 

January Management 181 

June Management 190 

July Management 192 

Locust Tree a Great Honey Producer 46 

Loss of Queens, 35 — Signs of. 37 

Lucerne Clover 169 

Making Hives in Winter 204 

March Management 184 

May Management 188 

Marketing Honey '. 67 

Medicinal Power of Honey 73 

Melilot 170 

Melting Comb into Wax 57 

Mingonette 177 

Moth-Miller, Fear Misdirected 142 

Monthly Managment 181 

Movable Comb Hive 203 

Moving Bees 125 

Mustard 40,50,178 

Natural Swarming : 25 

Non-Swarming 41 

November Management... 198 

Nucleus Swarming, 101 — Advantages of 105 

Observation Hive 206 

October Managment 196 

Ovaries of the Queen Bee 81 

Overstocking 47 

Painting Hives 205 

Perennial Plants 167 

Piping of Young Queens 34 

Pollen, or Bee Bread 61 

Poplar or Tulip Tree Secretes much Honey 46 

Preface 5 

Preface to the Revised Edition 7 

Prevention of Swarming 41 

Profits of the Apiary 156 

Propolis or Bee Glue 52 

Purchasing Bees 127 

Queen Bee, 19— Hatching and Fertilization of, 33— Loss of. 35 

Queen Cage, 122— Queen Cell, 77-80— How Transferred 102 

Queenless Stocks, 35— Signs 36 

Quieting Bees 42 

Raspberries Yield Much Fine Honey 46, 162 

Removing Honey Boxes 94 



ALPHABETICAL INDEX. xvii 

Removing Defective Comb , 56 

Robbing, 140— Trapping Robbers or Wild Bees 133 

Royal Cells, 26, 33, 162— Royal Jelly 25 

Raising Italian Queens as a Business 11 

Rye Meal Best Substitute for Pollen to Induce Early Breeding 52 

Second and Third Swarms or After Swarms 33 

September Management „..., ,..., 195 

Shipping Queens ,, 122 

Stands , , 124, 125 

Smoke to Quiet Bees ,,.,..,....,... 43 

Small Fruits ,..,, 162 

Small Boxes for the Nuclei, ,,,.,,,, •. 119 

Southern Honey Trees ..„..,„.„,,,...,,,„......... 163 

Sour-Wood or Sorrel-Tree A ,,.,,,„ 165 

Stings, How to Neutralize the Poison..., ,, 44 

Statistics of the Honey Industry , 74 

Surplus Honey, 105 — In Boxes ,..„„..,.,,,.....,, ,.... 89 

Swarming Natural, 25— Signs of, 27 — Prevention of,,,.,,,., 41 

Swarming Artificial, 95 — Nucleus , ,...,,,...,,, , 109 

Taking Bees on Shares ,„ „..., , 128 

Taking up Light Stockj ..„, 129 

Tansy to Banish Ants ,,.,,.,... 143 

The Sumac .,.....,.,„ , 166 

Teasel „.,„..„„,.,.., 175 

The Circular Saw , ,„., 206 

Title Page ,,...., 1 

Transferring Bees and Comb from Box Hives,,,.., 136-138 

Trees for Pasturage, 48— For Shade , 125 

Uncapping Knife „,,....,,„„.., 59 

Uniting Stocks .., ". 39 

Uses of Honey , , 68 

Ventilation „„.., 147, 197 

View of our Home Apiary ., ,. 76 

Wax , ,..,..., 57 

White Clover, 45 — As a Honey Crop ,..,.,.....,..,.... 49 

Who Should Keep Bees 11 

Wire Foundation , 55 

Wintering Bees 145, 152 

Worker Cells 77 

Worker Bee, 22— Worker Comb , 24 

Worms 144, 145 

Wren ^...... « 143 



ILLUSTRATIONS 



Abdomen of Worker Bee Magnified 63 

Alsike Clover les 

Bass-wood 164 

Bee's Sting 79 

Bee's Tongue 78 

Bees- wax Extractor 60 

Bellows Smoker 43 

Blue Aster 174 

Body of Bee 82 

Brood Comb 26 

Circular Saw. 208 

Comb Foundation Machine -. 62 

Eggs Shown in the Cells 80 

Fertile Queen 33 

Golden Rod ,. — 172 

Honey Comb 77 

Honey Crate 67 

Honey Extractor.; 68 

Honey in Boxes and Bottles 68 

Larvae and Royal Jelly so 

Leg of Bee 82 

Male and Female Moth Miller 142 

Melilot. 171 

Oblong Munn Frame 203 

Ovaries of the Queen Bee.. 81 

Portrait of W. W. Cary 22j 

Portrait of Rev. Father Dzlerzon 2i7 

Portrait of Francis Huber 213 

Portrait of Rev. H. A. King 22ii 

Portrait of Prof. Leuckart 224 

Portrait, of Rev. L. L. Langstroth 218 

Portrait of Moses Quinby 216 

Portrait of Rev. E. Van Slyke : 229 

Portrait of Baron Von Berlepsch 221 

Portrait of Capt. T. B. Siebold 222 

Queen Cells , 32 

Queen Cell Cat Open 80 

Queen Cell Inserted 102 

Queen Drone and Worker Bee 19 

Taylor's Frame 20i 

Transfering Tools 136 

Uncapping Knife 69 

View of our Home Apiary 76 



CHAPTEK I. 

PHYSIOLOGY OF THE THREE CLASSES. 

A PKOSPEROUScolony of bees, at the beginning of the "swarm 
ing season," consists of a fertile queen, a few hundred dronei 
and about forty thousand workers. The annexed cuts will give 
a fair representation of the three classes into which this insect 
community is divided. 





Queen. 




The Queen is a perfectly developed female, and the prolific 
parent of the whole colony — the mother of every bee it con- 
tains. " Mother Bee " is her most appropriate and truthfiil 
name, as laying eggs appears to be the sole end of her existence, 
and the only duty she performs. This fact is beautifully demon- 
strated by removing a native queen and introducing an Italian 
queen in her stead. If the change is made in November, few 
common bees will remain by the following May ; or if made in 
June, the yellow workers will begin to appear in a few weeks, 



20 PHYSIOLOGY OF THE THREE CLASSES. 

and by September scarcely a black bee can be found in the hive. 
In the height of honey gathering, and under the most favorable 
circumstances the queen will deposit about three thousand 
egga per day. She is distinguished from the other bees by her 
form, color and size, being longer and darker colored upon the 
back than either drone or worker. But the Italian queen is 
much hghter colored than either the Italian drone or worker, the 
larger part of her body being of a golden yellow. 

The queen is of slender structure, with comparatively short 
wings, and is usually recognized by her measured matronly 
movements and her long, finely tapered abdomen. 

She usually lives from three to four years. If her death 
occur when there are drones in the apiary and young worker 
brood or eggs in the hive, or if she is soon to leave the hive with 
a first swarm, the workers construct large cells, supplying them 
with "royal jeUy," and the eggs or larvae that would otherwise 
have produced worker bees are developed into queens. Only 
one queen is allowed to remain in the hive. The queen has a 
curved sting, but will use it only when contending with rival 
queens, as she cannot tolerate a rival within the hive. Eggs are 
sometimes laid by the young queen before her impregnation, but 
they invariably produce drones. She usually leaves the hive 
when about five days old to meet the drones in the air for im- 
pregnation, which— once accomphshed — suffices for life, as ordi- 
narily she never afterwards leaves the hive except when accom- 
panying a first swarm. The drone semen or sperm is retained 
in the spermatheca of the queen, a small sac near the point of 
her abdomen, and when laying, as the egg passes from the 



THIC DKONE. 21 

queen s ovary, it is brought in contact with the drone sperm to 
produce workers, or is allowed to pass without such contact to 
produce drones, the same as eggs laid before her impregnation. 
Some have supposed this contact to be pn^duced bj compression 
of the queen's abdomen, caused by the size of the cells in which 
workers are reared, they being much smaller than drone cells. 
This theory is disproved by the fact that a stock deprived of its 
drone-comb, will sometimes rear drones in worker cells ; besides, 
in comb-building, the queen wiU frequently deposit eggs in the 
cells while their walls are scarcely an eighth of an inch long and 
ccuid cause no pressure. 

THE DRONE. 

" The drones are the males, and do not work for the supporUoJ 
the hive, hut lead an idle life, feeding upon the produce of others 
Ifibor" — Richardson. 

The drones are more bulky, though somewhat shorter, than 
the queen, and, unhke her, their wings are long enough to cover 
ine entire abdomen. They are much larger than the workers, 
and have a clumsy, uncouth appearance. When flying, their 
loud, boisterous hum is easily recognized. Being without a sac 
for carrying honey or grooves on their thighs for poUen, they are 
physically disqualified for performing any labors of the hive. 
Their proboscis is too short for extracting the nectar from flow- 
ers, and being destitute of a sting, they cannot assist in protect- 
ing the stores from robbery. They axe called into existence at 
the approach of the swarming season to fertilize the young 
queens. As impregnation is eSected while on the wing, the 



22 PHYSIOLOGY OF THE THREE Oi^ASSES. 

drones k-^ve the hive in consideraole numbers about noon, on 
fine days, and the young queens make their excursions soon af- 
ter. Whenever this service is supposed to be accompHshed for 
the season, they are relentlessly driven forth and destroyed by 
the workers. A stock of bees that has lost its queen and failed 
to rear another, will retain drones after all others are destroyed, 
and frequently throughoat the winter. Without drones the 
young queens would remain barren, and the race soon become 
extinct. The number of drones in a hive is often very large, 
amounting to hundreds and even thousands. In a state of na- 
ture, or where but one or two hives are kept, a greater propor- 
tion of drones are necessary as the young queen, when making 
her "bridal trip," should be sure of a speedy meeting, for, when 
roaming long in search of one, she is more Hable to accidents. 
Where several colonies are kept, if each rear a few dozen drones 
there will be enough, in the aggregate, for all practical purposes. 
In movable comb hives aU excess of drone comb should be 
removed, and the production of useless consumers thus pre 
vented. 

THE WORKER. 

The workers, although the most diminutive m size of the three 
classes, are ahke the wonder and admiration of the student ot 
nature. 

When we consider their unvarying God implanted instincta, 
whether displayed in hoarding rich stores for future use, in their 
matchless architectural skill, as seen in comb-building, or in their 
entire devotion to the welfare of the queen and her numerous, 



BBEEDING. 23 

maturing progeny, we are constrained to regard them as the 
most wonderful class of this insect family. The average age of 
the worker is but a few weeks during summer, and from six to 
nine months dunng the cooler part of the year. 

As regards the sex of the workers, modern writers agree in 
classing them as undeveloped females. They are incapable of 
fertilization by the drone, yet, occasionally in queenless colonies, 
one will be found laying eggs, which, being unfertilized, never 
produce workers but drones only. 

This laying need not be mistaken as the work of a fertile queen, 
for, unhke her uniform laying, these eggs are deposited regard- 
less of order, some cells containing several and others none. The 
bees destroy the excess, and the remaining eggs produce perfect 
drones. 

The workers are so well known that a minute description 
would seem superfluous in a Hand Book. Upon them devolves 
all the labor of collecting and defending the stores, building 
comb, feeding and protecting the queen and brood, and expelling 
the drones when they are no longer necessary to the well-being 
of the colony. In short, they rule and regulate the whole econ- 
omy of the hive, performing all its offices except those which 
have direct referonce to the reproduction of the species. 

BREEDING. 

The yield of honey Btrength of the colony, the season of the 
year, and other circumstances have considerable influence, both 
on the amount of brood reared and the time required for its de- 
velopment. In this latitude, the average time from the lajing :>f 



24 PHYSIOLOGY OF THE THREE CLASSES. 

the egg to the appearance of the perfect insect, is, for the work 
er, twenty-one days; for the drone, twenty-four; and for the 
queen, about sixteen days. The cells, in which the workers are 
reared, are the smallest in size, those for drones nearly one-third 
larger, and a queen cell stiU larger and of pecuhar foraij requir- 
ing as much material for its construction as fifty worker cells. In 
strong colonies, having plenty of stores, the queen will often de- 
posit eggs in every month of the year, the least brood being 
reared between October and January. During this time the 
brood often occupies a small circle in the centre of the cluster of 
bees exactly opposite on each side of a comb. Smaller circles 
are next occupied in the two adjoining combs. The circle of 
eggs in the first comb is then enlarged, and more added in the 
others, continuing to spread to other combs, keeping the distance 
from the centre or place of beginning to the outside of the circle 
about equal on all sides. The effect of this is to produce a con- 
centration and economy of the animal heat for developing the 
various changes of the brood. On the approach of spring, an 
increased amount of brood is reared, and as early spring flowers 
appear the bees go to work in earnest, to provide limpid honey 
and freshly gathered pollen for the queen and her numerous off- 
spring. "When the fruit trees unfold their pink and snowy blos- 
soms, rich supplies are garnered by the busy throng of workers. 
Breeding goes on apace. The latent swarming impulse begins 
to be felt, and if the weather continues warm and balmy, we boob 
arrive at the swarming season. 



CHAPTER n. 



NATURAL SWAEMINQ. 



The swarming season is one of unusual interest to the bte* 
keeper. He hopes soon to commence his annual harvest both of 
swarms and surplus honey. The issue of natural swarms is al- 
most wholly dependent upon continued warm growing weather. 
June is the great swarming month in the northern States.- Yet, 
when the spring is unusually favorable, we get an occasional 
swarm as early as the middle of May, and many about the last 
of that month. Again, swarming may not commence until July. 
Bees will often rear. drones, construct queen cells, and be just on 
the point of swarming, when a few days of bad weather will 
cause the drones and embryo queens to be destroyed, and swarm- 
ing to be postponed indefinitely. As much time must be spent 
in preparation when this occurs, it will require several weeks be- 
fore swarms can issue, though the weather be never so favorable. 

Bees, like some human beings, seem most discontented when 
most prosperous. If the season is favorable, the May flowers 
will scarcely have appeared till the swarming fever begins in- 
stinctively to steal over the colony, affecting equally, perhaps, 
both queen and workers. The first step of preparation taken ia 
the rearing of drones, by an early deposit of eggs in the drone 
cells by the queen. As these mature and the "lusty fellows " 



26 



NATURAL SWABMING. 



throng the entrance, if the weather is warm and pastniage abund 
ant, a few queen cells will be commenced at difierent times by 
the workers. These, in most cases, are suspended from the edges 
or inequalities of the combs, with their open end downward. 
From three to ten queen cells are commonly constructed, and the 
egg or larvaB, is lavishly supplied with "royal jelly," a pungent, 
stimulating, light cream-colored substance, when the cell is lurthei 
lengthened down and sealed over. It is now about an inch long, 
and resembles a pea-nut in shape and appearance. In movable 
comb hives, these queen cells are easily found by looking over 
the combs about the time swarms are expected. You can hardly 
mistake them even tbougli you never «aw 

one before. It is better to swarm bees 
artificially and not wait for natural 
swarming. But since bees (will) some- 
times swarm when carefully managed, 
and since beekeepers are gometimes un- 
able for some reason to give attention 
before they swarm, all should understand 
the indications of swarming and the 
modes of hiving swarms. Bees are not 
apt to swarm before the hive is strong in 
numbers, young bees are hatching in 
4. This cut represents brood in various abundancc, dfoues are flying, and the 

stages from eggs and larvae in the lower 

part of the comb to brood capped at K, .1 • i x rrw. ^t- X.^.^ 

and just emergidg at r; n, is a queen Weather IS pleasaut. ThCSC are UOt, hOW- 

cell just commenced from larvie; b, a 

romUhrhThe'iue^ThasrusI'em'e^gTi! evcr, sure indications of swarming. 




HIVING BEES 27 

The progress of these cells is the only certain indication of 
swarming, and when one or more have been capped over, the 
swarm is ready to leave for its new and sometimes distant home. 
The first warm, clear day is generally improved, when the mass 
of workers, after hastily filling their sacs with provisions for their 
journey, rush "pell mell" from the hive, accompanied by th« 
queen, with great "noise and confusion." 

After flying a short time, they usually cluster upon some over- 
hanging branch, more or less elevated. Hives should be kept in 
readiness, as success depends greatly upon promptness in hiving 
swarms as they issue, for, if left hanging in the heat of the sun, 
they soon become impatient and often fly off" and are lost in con 
sequence. 

HIVING BEES. 

The process of hiving is extremely simple And pretty generally 
understood; if the new hive is cool and clean the bees are not 
slow in taking possession. If the swarm has clustered upon a 
bush or tree near the ground, spread down a sheet or piece ol 
canvas directly under or as near the swarm as practicable. 
If a table will bring the hive very near the cluster use one. 
Kemove the cover and qnilt and shake the bees directly into the 
hive if convenient. If not, jar the bees in front of the hive 
after opening the front entrances, or raising the hive an inch from 
the bottom board, leaving no opening beneath, which they may 
mistake for the hive, and guide them to the entrance with a twig. 
Home will soon discover the new home, and by their joyful 
ham communicate the glad tidings to the whole swarm. Hav- 



23 NATURAL SWARMING. 

ing filled themselves with honey before leaving the old hive, they 
are usually peaceable and almost as harmless as flies. If they 
should clog the entrance, disturb them gently with the feather 
end of a quill, and, if any cluster upon the outside, brush them 
down and see that all enter lest the queen be left out. Now, let 
the hive down upon the board, and immediately carry it to the 
place it is intended to occupy in the apiary. Raise the front 
edge half an inch, and shade the hive from the sun. The few 
bees left flying will soon return to the old stock from which the 
swarm issued. But if the swarm is left where it was hived till 
evenmg, many bees will have commenced gathering honey, and, 
having carefully marked their new location, will, as they fly out, 
the next morning return to this place and perish. If a swarm 
should cluster upon a high hmb or body of a tree, ascend upon a 
ladder and shake or brush them into a basket, and cover it over 
with a cloth to prevent their flying. The basket may be lowered 
with a cord to an assistant, or brought down, and gently poured 
upon the sheet at the entrance of the hive. When the swarm 
nas clustered upon a small hmb, it may be carefully severed with- 
out disturbing the cluster, and carried to the hive. Hold them 
to the entrance until some discover the hive, when all will gladly 
enter. 

If a swarm cluster in some inaccessible place, as the forks of a 
tree, they may often be induced to enter a box inverted above 
them, by smoking or shghtly sprinkling them with water, or by 
partly covering the box to make it resemble the entrance to a 
hive, brush a few in and they will soon call in the whole swarn. 
From the box they are shaken directly into the hive, or made to enter 



TO PE EVENT SWAEMS CLUSTEEING TOGETHEB. 29 

from the raised front as before. A hiving basket is easily made by taking 
a small basket and covering one side of the top with cloth. To the 
handle and the rim of the covered side of the basket a handle is fixed 
which may be lengthened by fixing to it pieces of difi"erenfc lengths. This 
is raised directly under the swarm and the bees jarred from the limb into 
it and then poured into the hive. In this way hiving is quickly 
accomplished; and dispatch in hiving is important, as in very 
large apiaries, if natural swarming is permitted, much difficuhv 
is often experienced from two or more swarms issuing about the 
same time, when, unless prevented, they are almost certain tc 
unite. It is some trouble to separate them and have a queen for 
each. Therefore, when many swarms are expected, the apiary 
should be closely watched. 

TO GUAED AGAINST SWARMS CLUSTERING TOGETHER. 

At times, the swarming fever seems to be contagious. One 
swarm wiU scarcely have settled till another stock, and another, 
wiQ send forth their crazy legions to darken the air and make 
"confusion worse confounded." The watchful bee-keeper will 
judge from the state of the weather and the condition of his 
stocks, when these things are likely to happen. "While a swarm 
is issuing, if other colonies " hang out " threateningly, he should 
immediately sprinkle these outsiders with water, or blow a 
few whi£fe of smoke into each hive. This will sHghtly discon- 
cert tliem, and probably give time for hiving the swarm already 
tf'it. If, however, one should start when the first is but partially 



30 ' NATURAL SWARMING. 

hived, let him quickly cover it with a sheet to i^revent a union, and 
give his attention to the new comers. These must now be hived ; 
and when mostly in, if no others have started, uncover the first, 
that the stragglers flying may be divided between the two. But, 
should the second swarm start before the first has settled, he will 
hardly prevent their clustering together. After a swarm has 
started it is impossible to check it, without closing the entrance, 
which would be a dangerous and often fatal experiment. Beside, 
the queen may have been among the first to start, and she would 
be a serious loss. 

When two swarms unite, if the bee-keeper's time is precious 
and his hive large enough, he may hive them together. When 
put in the movable comb hive, give such double swarms access 
to the surplus boxes immediately. They will usually store about 
one-third more surplus honey than a single swarm, but they will 
be worth no more at the end of the season, than each would have 
been had they remained separate. Hence, if the swarms are 
early and large, and the weather continues favorable, it is better 
to divide the swarm at the end of a week. (See " Nucleus 
Swarming.") However, if a movable-comb hive is not at hand, 
it will pay to take some trouble 

TO SEPARATE SWARMS THAT CLUSTER TOGETHER. 

In separating two swarms that have clustered together, the 
object is to get a queen for each. To do this, spread down a 
sheet, placing an empty hive upon each end. Shake your bees 
upon the sheet between the hives and sprinkle them with a httle 
water, which will retard their movements and give a good chance 



SEPARATING DOUBLE SWAKMS* 31 

to see the queens as they pass along. "With a quill or brush, 
start the bees each way, having two or three feet for them to 
travel to reach each hive. Keep the bees moving and the en- 
trances open. "Wa'tch for the queen near one entrance, while an 
assistant watches at the other hive. Both queens are often seen 
as they crawl over the sheet. If both are found, divide the bees 
equally, giving a queen to each hive, and the work is done. 
Should you find but one, secure her in a tumbler. Divide the 
bees about equally, and, by watching them a few minutes, you 
will soon see where your queen is needed, as those without a 
queen will show the usual symptoms, by running about the en- 
trance and up the outside of the hive as if in search of some 
thing. Present the queen to them and they will soon become 
quiet. But, should neither queen be seen, you stand one chance 
in two of getting a queen in each hive. "Watch them fifteen or 
twenty minutes. If one shows signs of being queenless close up the 
entrances and remove to the stand it is to occupy, being careful to give 
sufficient ventilation. Now, shake the part that has the queens again 
upon the sheet, making them travel some distance to reach the hive. Yoo 
will seldom fail to find one of the queens. Secure her in a tumbler or 
queen cage, and as soon as all the bees are in, remove the hive to its 
permanent stand. Open the other hive and place the queen ^t the en- 
trance and the bees wiU receive her joyfully. The two hives should be 
placed some distance apart on separate stands, and each should have a 
comb or two of brood inserted. 



32 



NATURAL SWARMING 



TO PREVENT NEW SWARMS FROM LEAVING THEIR HIVES. 

Natural swarms will occasionally refuse to stay after having 
been hived, usually in consequence of heat or strong odors about 
the hive. In nucleus swarming this seldom or never happens, 
because the beea are never without a comb containing brood and 
honey; and this they will not leave voluntarily. Therefore, 
when hiving a swarm in a movable-comb hive, go to any stock 
that can spare a comb containing brood and honey. Brush back 
the bees, being careful not to remove the queen or any queen- 
cells with the comb, and place it in the hive that is to receive 
the new swarm. It will not only prevent the bees from decamp-' 
ing but will greatly encourage them, and should bad weather 
confine them to the hive they will be secure from starvation. If 
the swarm is put in a common hive, place over them a box ol 
honey, taken from the parent stock. 

HATCHING AND FERTILIZATION OF QUEENS 

In about eight days after the old queen leaves 
with the first swarm, the most advanced sealed queen 
is ready to emerge. During this time the old stock 
is without a hatched queen. The young queen im- 
mediately upon leaving her ceU, if not restrained by 
the workers, commences the work of destruction upon 
her yet imprisoned sisters. She accomplishes this 
by biting open the side of each ceU near its base, and 
dispatching the unfortunate inmate with her sting. 
She is yet incompetent for the maternal duty, and 
must leave the hive to meet the drones in the air for 






BATCHING AxVD FERTILIZATION OF QUEENS. 33 

\\ie purpose of fertilizatioc. This once accomplished, the work- 
ers, awaiting her safe return, greet 
her with a reverence and aflcxition 
never shown before. They hasten 
to prepare the cells to receive her 
tiny eggs, and seem to realize that 
on her the existence and perpetua- 
tion of the family depends. There 
Fertile Queen. -^ ^j^^ ^ perceptibls change in the ^'^P''^*^^ <i"~»- 

queen's form, her abdomen being a httle swollen and somewhat 
lengthened, but not as much as at the height of the breeding 
season. She now remains the fruitful mother of the prosperous 
and happy colony. 

SECOND AND THIRD OR AFTER SWARMS. 

After the first swarm leaves the hive, if bees are still numer- 
ous and the yield of honey conSinues good, the workers will often 
decide to protect the queen cells, and thus cause the issue of one 
or more after-swarms. Small knots of bees cluster about the 
cells, and thus prevent their destruction by the first emerging 
queen. At this she seems greatly enraged and utters a peculiar 
sound, hke the "peep," "peep," of young chickens, though on a 
very fine key. This is often answered in a hoarser note, from 
the eldest of the still enclosed queens. The senior queen con- 
tinues "piping," as it is called for a day or two, meanwhile raak* 
ing every efi'ort to engage in "mortal combat" her royal rivals. 
Being frustrated in every attempt, she finally leaves the hive in 
a "huff," accompanied by a considerable body of workers. It 



34 NATDBAL STV ARMING. 

appears from this tliat the immediate cause of after-swarm iiig 
springs from a desire to avoid a quarrel among the " women 
folks." The piping cannot be mistaken for any other sound 
given bj the bees, and may always be heard the morning or 
evening preceding the issue of any swarm after the first. If 
a second swarm is to issue, piping will usually be heard, by hold 
ing the ear close to the hive, on the morning or evening of the 
eighth or ninth day from the departure of the first swarm ; and, 
for third swarms, on the next evening or morning after the issue 
of the second. If it is not heard by the fourteenth day, from 
the time the first swarm left, no after-swarm need be expected. 
In good seasons or in favored localities, second swarms, if early^ 
will generally lay up suf&cient stores for winter, and are valua- 
ble on account of having vigorous young queens. But, in this 
latitude, if after-swarms are cast the old stock is often greatly 
weakened, and consequently more exposed to the inroads of the 
moth, besides seldom storing surplus honey after swarming. The 
swarms also often fail to secure stores for winter, and have to be 
broken up in the fall. A safer and more profitable course is to 
allow but one swarm to issue from a stock the same season. 
With movable-comb hives, the issue of after-swarms is easily and 
surely prevented, by opening the hive in five or six days after 
the first swarm leaves and taking away all the queen cells but 
one. By this course, we may keep all our stocks, both old and 
new, strong and prosperous. We give directions concerning afterswarms 
because from sickness, or otherwise, the beekeeper may be unable to 
give attention before tbey issue. All swarms after the second should 



SECOND AND THIRi) OR AFTER SWARMS. 35 

Rfler taking away their quAens, be returned to the stocks whence 
they issued. 

As third swarms are usually attended by several queens, it 
laves trouble to hive the swarm and let it stand by the old stock 
until the next morning, when all but one of the queens will be 
killed and the remaining queen may be found by jarring the bees 
on a sheet. 

When after-swarms are expected, the_ apiary must be closely 
♦vatched. First swarms seldom issue earher than nine o'clock or 
-ater than three, and usually choose a fine clear day. Not so 
vith after swarms. They are liable to issue at almost any time 
luring the day, and often in cloudy weather. They are apt to 
<o farther from the hive to cluster than first swarms, and, being 
very small, are not always found unless seen while upon the wing. 
Second swarms ordinarily issue in from eight to twelve days from 
J;he first; and aU after-swarms must be out by the eighteenth 
day, after which no more swarms need be looked for from that 
hive, unless a "buckwheat swarm" is thrown off in August, 
which is an unusual occurrence. 

LOSS OF QUEENS. 

If a queen is lost or removed from a colony, when there are 
eggs or young larvss in the worker combs and drones in the api- 
ary, the workers almost immediately commence constructing queen 
cells to repair the loss. In due time a queen comes forth, and 
when every rival in the hive, whether mature or in embryo, has 
oeen destroyed, the remaining queen must run some risk of be- 
'ng lost in her flight to meet the drones for impregnation. Ijike- 



33 NATURAL SWARMING. 

wise, when a s^ock has swarmed, there remains in it a young 
queen to be fertilized. Consequently, should she be lost on her 
*' bridal tour " the stock is left without either a queen or material 
from which to rear one, as the eggs left by the old queen at her 
departure, with the first swarm, are too far advanced to be used 
for that purpose. ' 

Queens are seldom lost except while making these excursions, 
wlien they are sometimes caught by birds, but far more fre 
quently slain as intruders by entering the wrong hive on their 
return, mistaking it for their own. The bereaved colony will , 
exhibit the greatest agitation. Bees will be running about the ' 
entrance and up the sides of the hive, searching everywhere for 
their beloved queen. This commotion is very noticeable the 
next morning after the loss, while other colonies are quiet, and 
for two or three mornings as it gradually wears off. The bees will 
sometimes work with their accustomed vigor, and, still hoping to 
succeed in rearing another queen, their drones are preserved, 
after those of other stocks are destroyed. There being no far- 
ther increase in the colony, it dwindles away as daily losses oc- 
cur, and, should the bee-keeper not come to the rescue, must ere 
long fall a prey to worms and robbers. The loss of queens is 
usually the result of placing hives of the same color or general 
appearance too close together. Colonies that have young queens 
to be impregnated should stand five feet or more apart. Such 
colonies are all old stocks that have cast swarms, and all swarma 
after the first from any stock. Also, if the hives appear much 
;*iike, each one should have a different ^^xk to guide its queen 
ji returning to her hive. 



LOSS OF QUEENS. 37 

Unimpregnated queenej should be examined about the twelfth day 
from the time the first swarm left, and, if no eggs are found in the 
combs by the eighteenth day, the stock is probably queenless. Give 
them a reserve/er^iZe queen or queen-cell, if either is at hand. If not, 
take from another hive a frame of worker comb containing eggs and 
young brood, and place it near the centre of the queenless hive. Queens 
ordinarily lose their fertility or die of old age, when from three to four 
years old. If this happens in winter or early spring, break up the 
colony, before its stores tempt other stocks to robbery, giving the bees 
to another colony. Such a stock can seldom be induced to rear a queen 
at this season if furnished with material, and even though it should, 
the bees would nearly all be gone before she could replenish its wasting 
population, should she eventually chance to become fertile. 

In the Spring the bee-keeper may be sure of the presence of a queen 
in any hive without opening it if he finds among the droppings, eggs or 
immature bees. It is an indication of queenlessness if the workers 
bring in little or no pollen when the other colonies are carrying in 
plump pellets upon their thighs. It is always best in early spring to 
open every colony so as to be sure not only of the presence of a queen 
but also of their general condition, and especially of the amount of 
stores so as to know whether it is necessary to feed, and if so to what 
extent. If worker eggs or brood is found, it is conclusive evidence that 
a fertile queen is present. But, if only the scattering oval caps are 
seen, join the bees to another colony, and preserve the combs for new 
swarms, or to exchange for frames of sealed honey. 

Another method which will be found to work well if the weather is 
warm is to take from a stock which has an abundance of eggs and 
brood, one frame of brood and the queen, give them to this weak stock 
in exchange for a frame of empty ccmb; and in the heat of the day when 



38 NATUBA SWAKMING. 

tile bees are flying the thickest exchange places with these hives. Now, 
put on a feeder, if honey is not plentiful in the flowers, and give them a 
little each day, just sufficient to keep them working and the queen will 
not be slow in filling all the available space with eggs, and this poor 
stock will soon be in a flourishing condition, while the stock from which 
the queen was taken will at once proceed to rear another by constructing 
queen cells . In ten days from the time the queen was removed, these 
cells will be ready to hatch, and as but one can be utilized by this stock 
the others may be profitably used in building up stocks in the same 
condition as the one just described, but in removing queen cells it is 
always well to leave more than one so as to be sure of a queen in 
case of any unforeseen occurrence. In all these operations good judg- 
ment is of the highest importance in order to discriminate between 
the difierent methods and select the one best applicable to the case in 
hand. ^ 



THE SAVING OF BEES. 39 

ONITINO WEAK SWARMS. 

" 'The greatest profit lies in saving hees^ not in killi/ig them"-^ 
Edward Prince. 

The old practice of destroying the bees, in order to secure the 
honey, thus throwing away all prospect of future gain, for aUt- 
tle present advantage, is not only cruel but wholly unnecessary, 
and should be discountenanced by every admirer of this untiring 
little busybody. 

Two weak families, when united, will consume little, if any 
more honey, than each would if left separate. The reason of this 
is, a strong colony is able to maintain the proper degree of warmth 
m cold weather, which greatly lessens the consumption of food. 
Vs soon as the autumn frosts have killed the flowers, colonies 
tnat are too weak to protect their stores are much exposed to 
robbery. Such, may either be strengthened by bringing bees 
from a distance, (see "How to Collect an Apiary,") or two of 
them may be joined together. When uniting stocks, smoke them 
thoroughly and shake the bees into a box or upon a sheet, to- 
gether. Sprmkle them with sweetened water to prevent quar- 
rehng, and to keep them quiet, and hive as a single swarm. 
Stocks in the movable-comb hive may be united without shakmg 
the bees from the combs, if early in the spring or in cool weather 
in the fall, or when the flowers yield a bountiful supply ol honey, 
as the bees are then very peaceable. Treat them to tobacco 
smoke, which will induce all to fill themselves with honey, and 
serve to give them the same scent. Remove the con.bs with the 
bees adhering and place them together m the same bive, leaving 



40 NATURAL SWAKMINO. 

out tKe flames containing the least honey. If one of the queens 
is known to be very old, she may be taken away. After closing 
the hive, place it upon the stand previously occupied by the 
stronger of the united swarms. In uniting bees, vhen the 
weather is warm enough for them to fly, it must not be forgotten 
that, unless carried a. mile or more away, they are strongly in- 
clined to return to their old stand. To prevent this, give abun- 
dant ventilation, and close the entrance tiU near sunset. Close 
it again early next morning, opening it half an hour before sun- 
set to permit the bees to fly. On the morning of the third day 
blow a little smoke into the hive and leave the entrance open, as 
the removed colony will not now return to its former stand. New 
swarms, before being hived, have given up their estabhshed loca 
tion, and two or more of them may be joined together and placed 
upon any stand desired. 

Second swarms are often worth but httle, if hived separately. 
But, if two are united, they will seldom fail to fill their hive and 
be in good condition for wintering. If queen cells are removed, sur- 
plus space given, honey extracted, or empty comb given there is no 
danger of second svrarms. 

Swarms issi^ing the same day wiU unite peaceably, or a swarm 
may be jo'ned to another that has been hived three or four days, 
but, after that, a union is more difficult in the common hive. 
When such swarms do not issue sbout the same time, so as to be 
hived together, let them stand in separate hives tiU sunset. Then 
place the one first hived upon a sheet, raising the edge of the 
nive that the other sw&.rm may enter. Bring the other hive and 
shake the bees out upon the sheet. If the queen is seer, while 



PREVENTION OF SWARMING. 41 

the bees are entering, she siiould be taken awaj, as the other 
queen may already have become fertile. 

If a colony is found to be queenless in early spring, add its 
bees to some weak stock having a fertile queen. To do this, 
sprinkle the bees with diluted honey or water sweetened with 
sugar, which, at this season, will usually procure them a kind re- 
ception. 

PREVENTION OF SWARMING. 

We have given an easy and certain method to prevent after- 
swarming, but to prevent the issue of first swarms is sometimes 
more difficult. Some, who prefer an increased amount of surplus 
honey to an increase of stocks, effect the object by clipping one 
of the queen's wings, when she cannot leave with the swarm., 
and will shortly return to the hive. The queen, however, in 
attempting to accompany the swarm will usually fall to the 
ground directly in front of the stand, therefore a broad board 
should slant from the ahghting board to the ground to enable hei 
to crawl back into the hive. "When the issue of the swarm is 
observed the queen should be found and returned, for should she 
fail to get back the swarm would probably reissue upon the 
hatching of a young queen. Great care must be taken not to 
clip the wings of the young queens before they have become fer- 
tile, else they will remain barren and worthless. Another way 
is to examine the combs every ten days while the swarming fever 
lasts and remove all ttie queen cells. If while doing this, more 
room be given in the body of the hive by removing a frame of 
honey, two examinations wiU usually suffice. 



*2 NATURAL SWABMING. 

QUIETING AND HANDLING BEES. 

Before a swarm issues from a hive, the bees fill their sacs with 
honey to last while on their journey and aid them in starting in 
their new home. While thus filled, they are (hke a man soon 
after dinner) uncommonly good natured and obHging, seldom 
showing any rough points of character. Yet, lest some "luck- 
less wight " might have been sleeping on the outside of the hive 
while its comrades were filling their "jackets " within, we will 
give the clustered swarm a sHght sprinkhng with diluted honey 
or sweetened water. If they were docile and tractable before, 
they are doubly so now. We may shake them down, hunt out 
their queen, or perform with them any operation we wish and 
they will not sting us, unless we compel them by pressure to do 
so. Here we have the true explanation of all the "charms," 
"secrets" and "recipes for taming bees," with which unprinci- 
pled venders have long humbugged a too credulous pubhc. The 
whole art of " taming bees " is embodied in the following : 

1st. A honey bee filled with "Hquid sweets" will not sting 
of its own accord. 

2d. Bees, when frightened, will generally fill themselves with 
honey, and if given liquid sweets will invariably accept them. 

Bees may be fiightened thus : 

1st. By blowing upon them the smoke of spunk, tobacco or 
cotton rags. 

2d. By confining them to the hive, and rapping the sides of 
it lightly with a small stick. At first, the bees will try to get 

NoTB.— Wood nearly rotten we have found to be much better than a roll of cotto» 
raes for smoking bees. 



QTIETINQ AND HANDLING BEES. 



43 




out, but failing will fill themselves with honey. 

formerly small rolls of cotton cloth with tobacco 
added at times were used for smoking bees, but 
since the invention of the Bellows Smoker no bee- 
keeper can afford to be without it. It will hold 
fire for hours from cotton rags, rotten wood or any 
thing suitable. It is worked with one hand and 
puffs smoke in dense volumes into the hive or 
among the combs. On opening a hive puff a little 
smoke into the entrance and wait a moment for them 
to fill themselves with honey. If other stocks 
are close and the bees interfere, blow smoke into the entrance 
of each hive. Toward fall, when bees have become rich in 
stores, they are harder to control. Thej are also more irrita- 
ble in cool, cloudy weather, which prevents them from visit- 
ing the flowers. At such times, a httle smjpking tobacco scat- 
tered upon and rolled up with the rags, will effectually tran- 
quilize them. Or, if addicted to the use of the pipe or cigar, 
the rags may be saved. In short, by the use of smoke, timely 
given and repeated as needed, bees may be kept in subjection for 
any length of time. Some use water, sweetened with sugar or 
honey. Sugar is preferable as the scent will not so readily at- 
tract bees from other hives. Sprinkle it upon the bees witii a 
small clothes broom. Give them time to fill themselves, and 
they will have no disposition to sting. The sweetened water is 
very useful in uniting, and for keeping swarms quiet when away 
from their combs. Although, by using care and gentleness b 



44 NATURAL SWARMING. 

our manipulations of the hive, the risk of being stung is small, 
we advise the begmner to use a veil for the face till he has gained 
courage and experience, when it may be dispensed with. This 
veil may be a piece of coarse black millinet, fastened to the rim 
of a summer hat and tucked in about the neck. The rim of 
the hat holds the veil away from the face, making it safe, cool 
and comfortable. The cost of the millinet, hat included, ia tri- 
fling, and several may be trimmed and kept for visitors who 
wish to view the wonders of the apiary. 

For a screen to carry in the pocket, to use when away from 
home on any kind of hat, get one-and-a-half yards of milhnet or 
any coarse, open stuff. Gather one side of this into a band that 
will shp over the crown of the hat down to the brim. This may 
be secured with a string under the vest collar. If the fabric 
used is dark-colored and very coarse, it will not tire the eyes or 
scarcely obstruct the vision. 

When at work among the bees, avoid making quick motions 
jT jarring the hives. If a bee come buzzing threateningly about, 
never strike, but keep your head bowed and the rim of your 
hat and your hand will protect your face. A bee flies in a direct 
line, and will not dive down to come up into the face. Should 
the bee refuse to leave, walk quietly into the shade of a tree or 
into a building. The poison of a bee sting may often be neu- 
trahzed and sweUing prevented, by quickly applying strong 
spirits of hartshorn. Amusing feats may be performed with 
bees, when filled with sweets, by confining the queen in a small 
wire-cloth cage and fastening it upon the hair, whiskers or m 
your hat, when the swarm will harmlessly cluster around their 
Queen. 



CHAPTER III. 

BEE PASTURAGE AND PRODUCTS. 

" Honey is not made hy the hees, hut is simply gathered by them 
from the nectaries of flowers^ and from that peculiar deposit on 
vegetation during summer^ called ' honey dew.^ " — Dr. Kirtland. 

Honey is a liquid sweet secreted by flowers, and is gathered 
and stored in the combs unchanged by the bees. If a stock of 
bees be fed on inferior quahty of syrup, and the combs examined, 
it will be found in the cells unchanged. Hence the quality of 
honey depends upon the flowers from which it is gathered. 
White clover, linden, raspberries, &c., afi'ording hght-colored 
honey, while buckwheat, poplar, and dandelion, yield that which 
is darker. 

Honey and pollen are supplied by nearly all the flowering trees 
and plants of the vegetable kingdom. The varieties, in the 
northern States, which furnish the largest proportion are, first in 
the spring, the alders, soil maple and willows. These come very 
early, and, if not cut short by frost, stimulate breeding, and form 
for the bees an acceptable change from a spare winter diet. 
There is then, in most places, a scarcity of flowers for about three 
weeks, when the hard or sugar maple throws out its golden tas- 
sels, and the peach, pear, cherry and smaller fruits, rich in honey 
and bee-bread, extend an invitation which is never shghted by 
the provident bees. The apple-tree bloss6ms now afford a real 



46 BEE PASTUEAGE AND PRODUCTS. 

haivest. Raspberries, especially the red varieties, yield an eX' 
oessive flow of excellent honey. The month of June brings the 
white clover, which, in the older parts of the country, is usually 
the chief source of surplus honey, and of great value everywhere. 
It continues in blossom about two months, yielding large quanti- 
ties of superior honey. The tuhp-tree, by some called poplar, 
by others, whitewood, blossoms soon after the appearance of the 
white clover, and secretes much pure saccharine matter, nearly a 
teaspoonful being often contained in one of its large bell-shaped 
flowers. "We once had an apiary located near the grove of this 
timber, and every fine morning, during the time it was in blos- 
som, the bees seemed to be swarming over a ten acre field in the 
direction of the grove. Catnip, borage, strawberries, honey- 
suckles, mignonette, hoarhound, motherwort, and various kinds of 
garden flowers, are rich in honey and valuable when in sufficient 
quantities. The locust tree, either yellow or black, is a great 
producer of honey, and while in bloom, the bees will swarm 
Around it to the neglect of other flowers. About the first of July, 
the hnden or basswood opens its ten thousand fragrant petals. 
Where this timber abounds, the bees reap from it a rich harvest. 
Mustard is, also, an especial favorite. Com tassels afford much 
pollen, and vines of the pumpkin, squash, &c., yield honey. In 
some seasons, what is called "honey dew," makes its appearance 
on the vegetation. It is usually confined to a few varieties of 
trees, giving the leaves a glossy appearance, and is sometimes so 
copious as to make them quite sticky. The dew of each suc- 
ceeding morning makes it available till a rain dipsolves and 
washes it away. 



OVERSTOCKING 4.7 

Buckwheat continues blossoming for from tliree to five weeks, 
keeping the bees busilj employed, beside enough honej wasting 
by evaporation to perfume the air for a considerable distance 
around. A farther supply is furnished by golden-rod, fireweei, 
English smartweed, asters, and various other fall flowers. We 
have omitted to mention many trees and plants that are quite as 
valuable for their honey bearing properties as some of those 
enumerated. 

OVERSTOCKING. 

To a person unacquainted with the immense honey resources 
of our country, a question will naturally arise as to how many 
stocks of bees may be safely kept at one point, and whether there 
is not danger of collecting so great a number as to exhaust the 
natural supphes of honey. In reply, we would say that we be- 
heve it possible to overstock a given locality, and yet we have 
never been able, in our own experience or otherwise, to get suf 
ficient evidence to confirm us in this behef. Mr. H. B. Gifford, 
in the Prairie Farmer, says: "I knew of one neighborhood, 
east, a thickly settled place, where nearly every family kept from 
one to fifty swarms. It is said they get as much honey per 
swarm as they used to when there were but few kept, and a 
double price for their honey." 

At times the supply of honey seems almost inexhaustible 
During these harvests the flowers secrete honey through th« 
DTght, which must be gathered in the fore part of the day, or it 
is lost by evaporation with the noonday sun. Upon this point, 
Mr. E. T. Sturtevant, an extensive bee-keeper of Northern Ohio, 



43 BEE PASTURAGE AND PB0DUCT8. 

writes as follows : "A kind Provddence fumislies this lountiful 
supply each day, and if workers are not on hand to gather it on 
tliat day, it is gone. I have never known a season when this 
honey harvest did not enable every strong colony, iii the course 
of a few days, to lay up an abundant supply for its own con- 
sumption, and a generous surplus for its owner. To secure this 
result, however, the hives must be abundantly supphed with 
workers. The whole secret hes in strong swarms. The rapidity 
with which swarms, at this period of the year increase in weight, 
is surprising, ranging from tteee to five, ten to fifteen, or even 
eighteen pounds per day. My own bees, the last season, built 
combs and stored honey in their surplus boxes only from twelve 
to fifteen days. The shortest harvest I have ever known. In 
this short time, many of my swarms collected, in addition to an 
ample supply for their own consumption, from thirty to thirty- 
five pounds surplus. The same would have been true had the 
immber of stocks been ten times as great. I am satisfied it 
makes but Httle difi'erence how many strong swarms are collected 
together; a few days will make them all rich." 

We visited Mr. Sturtevant's apiary about the time of this 
writing, and found it to contain something over two hundred 
swams. We have seldom kept more than one hundred stocks 
in one place, preferring to keep them at different points, two 
or three miles apart, but after all, we beheve the question of over- 
stocking to depend in a great measure upon a continuous and 
abundant supply of flowers, from early spring till Autumn. 
Where this supply can be had little fear need be entertained of 
overstocking. 



CULTIYATING HONEY CROPS. 49 

In most places, there are, even in the best hone}' years, times 
cf scarcity, during which few flowers can be found. These va- 
cancies may be profitably filled and immense stores of honey se- 
cured by planting out flower-trees, shrubs, and cultivating field 
crops with especial reference to this object. 

For bee pasturage, as weU as for fruit, the cherry tree haa 
never been rightly appreciated. Several of the early improved 
varieties bloom in a time when most needed by the bees, and 
even the latest are fully improved by them. The raspberry 
continues in bloom about three weeks, and few flowers furnish 
so large a quantity of purest nectar. The fruit is a surer crop 
even than the cherry, and every one knows that "purple cane," 
"black cap" and "orange" raspberries, and "sweet cherries,'' 
do not always need to be taken to market to find purchasers. 

Let your lanes and avenues and the front of your grounds be 
hued with the locust, linden, hard and soft maple, tuhp and chest- 
nut. These are beautiful shade and ornamental trees and will 
increase the value of your property ten times the expense of 
planting them. A pleasing contrast is produced by interspersing 
among them cherry, apple and other fruit trees, all afibrding large 
supphes of dehcious honey. 

CULTIVATING HONEY CROPS. 

■ White clover stands first on the list of honey crops. When 
sown with other grasses it is valuable for hay, and for pasture 
it cannot be excelled. Where it is abundant there are never 
bees enough to collect one-fourth of the honey it affords. Red 
clover secretes much honey, yet it is mostly beyond the reach of 
the common bees, but Itahan bees store honey fiom it to a much 



50 BEE PASTJHAQE AND PRODUCTS. 

greater extent, though chieflj from the smaller blossoms, aad the 
second growth or aftermath. Mustard is one of the most profit- 
able crops to cultivate, as well for its seed as a pasture for bees. It 
should be thinly sown, and hghtlj brushed in during April or May, 
upon good soil, and cut rather green to avoid waste by shelling. 
It yields from ten to fifteen bushels per acre, and sells readily to 
manufacturers in large cities at a high price. Even an acre or 
two of mustard is of great advantage to an apiary, as it keeps 
branching and blossoming nearly all summer. In most parts of 
the country there is a dearth of flowers from the fall of the ap- 
ple-tree blossoms till white clover comes in. To fill this vacancy 
a plat of turnips may be sown each year. Gather the largest 
for market or to feed to the stock, and enough small ones will re- 
main in the ground to run to seed the next year, to make a rich 
pasture for the bees in the most critical part of the season, greatly 
favoring the advent of early swarms. The value of a field of 
buckwheat for both bread and honey is well known. In speak- 
mg of it as a honey crop, Mr. Harbison says: "When the 
weather is favorable the bees store honey from it very rapidly, 
faster at times than they can build combs to receive it. I have 
seen them fiU pieces of old comb, laid close to the entrance of 
the hive, with honey, and have known colonies to fill four boxes 
of honey, or about fifty pounds during the continuance of buck- 
wheat. This is by no means an uncommon occurrence, and goep 
to show that this honey harvest is one of great importance to the 
bee-keeper. Buckwheat may be sown about a month earlier 
than usual, to furnish pasturage, to come in about the c.ose of 
clover to great advantage." . 



POLLEN 51 

We would add that where linden or basswood aboandy it is un- 
necessary to sow buckwheat (except that sown very early) before 
the middle of June, but where this timber is scarce sow some the 
first of June. Mr. Harbison continues : " It is much easier to 
cultiyate and produce enough pasturage, in addition to that from 
natural sources, to supply one hundred hives of bees than it is to 
provide pasturage for one hundred head of sheep, and the profit 
on bees will more than double that of sheep." 

Thus far we have only advocated the cultivation of such crops 
for bees as are also valuable for their grali or seed, our object 
being to fill with the greatest profit, the vacancies between natu- 
ral supplies and afi'ord the bees an uninterrupted succession of 
flowers in greatest abundance from spring to fall. These vacan- 
cies mostly occurring when the weather is unusually warm and 
pleasant, the bees, if supplied with flowers, have every facility 
for increasing their stores. Catnip will well repay cultivation 
for honey alone. It continues to blossom for a long time, the 
bees working upon it with the greatest assiduity " from early 
mom till dewy eve." 

POLLEN 

Pollen, or bee-bread, is the fertihzing dust, or fine meal-like 
substance discharged by the anthers of flowers. It is used for 
feeding the young and immature bees, great quantities being col- 
lected for this purpose and carried to the hives in little balls or 
pellets upon the thighs of the workers. Pollen is furnished 
by different species of flowers of almost every variety and shade 
of color, the most common being yellow. This has caused some 



52 BEE PASTURAGE AND PRODUCTS 

to mistake these little yellow pellets for wax, to be used in comb 
building. Such should observe that just as much pollen is taken 
to hives already filled with comb, as to any others. In order to 
stimulate breeding in early spring, unbolted flour is sometimes 
used as a substitute for pollen. The bees will not accept it un- 
less given before much natural pollen can be had. "Where snow 
prevents flowers starting until long after the bees begin to fly, 
such feeding should not be neglected, especially in large apiaries. 
It win prevent robbing, strengthen the stocks, and encourage 
habits of industry. Unbolted rye flour is best, but bolted flour 
may be used if mixed with sawdust or cut straw. If spread on 
boards, with strips tacked on the edges to prevent waste, and 
placed in some sunny comer out of the wind, the bees will work 
upon it quite freely. 

PROPOLIS OR BEE GLUE. 

This is a resinous gum collected by the bees from the leaves, 
buds and trunks of trees and plants, and is used for coating over 
uneven surfaces, and for fiUing holes and cracks within the hive. 
When cold, it is very hard and brittle, being quite a different 
substance from wax of which the combs are composed. Thus 
we find honey, poUen and propohs the only substances gathered 
by the bees. 

WAX AND COMB BUILDING. 

As animals must be fed large quantities of grain to enable 
them to secrete a few pounds of fat, so bees, on a like principle. 




WAX AND COMB BUILDINQ. 53 

consume from fifteen to twenty-five pounds of honej, (Dr. Kirt- 
land says twenty-five,) for the production of a single pound of 
wax. The wax exudes from the rings or folds of the 
abdomen of the worker, forming thin flakes or scales, 
which are removed as fast as formed and, used for 
constructing combs. It takes about two and a half 
pounds of wax to fill a hive of ordinary size with 
comb. By confining a swarm of bees in a movable- 
8. Abdomen of the comb hivc and feeding them, the bees will build 

«eorlrer magnified, 

jhowingthescaiesof gQ^^^ ^jQj^g^j^jjjg about twcuty pouuds of swcet to 
produce one pound of comb or wax. It will readily be seen that 
wax is by far the most expensive article used by the bees. The 
time spent in constructing the comb should also be taken into the 
account, which, if occupied in gathering honey, would, at this 
season of the year, enable them to store much more, and making 
the cost of a pound of comb equivalent to at least twenty-fi^v e 
pounds of honey. This honey, at twenty-five cents per pound, 
would give us six dollars and twenty-five cents as the cost of a 
pound of comb. Good combs melted into wax and taken to 
market might bring forty cents per pound, which, deducted irom 
the cost price, would show a loss of five dollars and eighty-five 
cents on every pound of wax sold. These estimates show that 
the bee-keeper cannot afford to melt down any combs that can 
be used to advantage by the bees. Even drone comb, if not too 
dark colored, should be used in the surplus boxes. If first 
swarms are put into hives furnished with empty combs, they will 
often fill them in an incredible short time, and swarm the same 
Bcason. For saving all good pieces of comb, whether large or 



54 BE,E PASTURAGE AND PRODUCTS 

small, movable-frame hives are indispensable. In filling up an 
empty frame lay it upon a table or board, and fasten in the combs 
by dipping an edge of each piece into melted comb. The scraps 
may be melted and should not be very hot. It soon cools, leaving 
the combs firmly attached. Frames when thus filled may be 
given to strong colonies in exchange for frames of honey. Stocks 
kept supphed in this way through the gathering season, will 
store astonishing quantities of honey, and in autumn, if any lack 
provisions for winter, it is easy to give them some of the full 
combs previously removed. 

HOW TO SECURE STRAIGHT COMBS. 

The full advantage of the movable-comb prmciple is only 
secured by having worker comb built within all the frames. 
Upon the first introduction of movable frames, bee-keepers often 
failed to prevent the bees from building their combs across the 
frames, as many yet do, and until recently but few attempted to 
prevent the bees from building drone comb. Sometimes strips 
of comb are attached to the under side of the top bars of the 
frames. This is a very good practice, as it gives the bees a start 
ivithin the frames with worker comb. The difficulty of obtaining 
comb for the purpose, especially in long strips, made it necessary 
to use a wooden guide, and it was discovered that the bees were 
more certain to follow the guides by elevating the rear end of the 
hive. The best way to secure straight combs is by placing each empty 
frame between two full ones. If no full ones are en hand; use comb 
foundation, which if used altogether in the brood nest will prevent the 
building of much drone comb. 



HOW TO SECUBE STRAIGHT COMBS. 55" 

Bees will commence working on foundation combs, made of pnre bees- 
wax, much sooner than on old combs, and all the cells being worker 
size, drone comb will be entirely prevented, but in warm weather when 
a large swarm is introduced into a hive filled with foundation the heat 
sometimes becomes so great as to cause the foundations to sag; to entire- 
ly overcome this objection, we recommend the following, from Mr. W. 
Davidson, of Brooklyn: 

"Punch two holes with an awl in both the top and bottom bar of the 
frame, exactly opposite each other. Put No. 24 annealed wire through 
these holes, passing it along the top bar and twisting the ends together 
at the bottom. Cut the foundation to fit the frame loosely, leaving one- 
eighth inch on each side and bottom. Have some wax kept just melted 
by a lamp. Lay the foundation aginst the wires, and shove it closely 
aginst the top bar. Now pour a spoonful of wax against the foundation 
at one end of of the top bar, and quickiy tip up the frame so that it will 
run to the other end, and the work is done. 

"For neatness in handling press the foundation close to the wires and 
fasten it in a couple of places with a drop of wax from a brush. I doubt 
if foundation can be fastened by any other method more rapidly." 

We have tried this device of Mr. Davidson, and have visited his apiary 
to see how the wires worked. It seems to us that this settles the ques- 
tion of sagging. 

"We are now trying some frames with the wires waxed, and pressing 
them close against the foundation, we think one will not be. able to 
tell where the wires cross. Another advantage of this process is that 
the wires hold the top bars of the frames so tightly that they never will 
be pulled off, which sometimes happens where they are only nailed. 



DEFECTIVE COMBS. 



RBMOYING DEFECTIVE COMBS. 



Certain persons would have us deprive our bees of their combs 
every two or three years, and compel them to build anew. This 
we consider a useless waste of the time and material of the bees, 
for although every htter of brood leaves a cocoon or thin lining 
in each cell, the cells were large at first, and the cocoons are so 
thin that after the lapse of ten years no perceptible difference 
can be seen in the size of the bees, the combs meanwhile be- 
coming warmer and safer for the swarm in winter. The above 
practice is universally condemned by our best practical apiarians. 
One of them, while advocating the removal of worthless or de- 
fective combs, says : 

"What old bee-keeper has not had abundant proof that stocks 
tight or ten years old, or even older, are often among the very 
best in his whole apiary." Stocke says he saw a colony which 
he was assured had "swarmed annually for forty-six years." 

The common practice of some bee-keepers, of breaking out the 
lower combs from common hives, if the combs happen to be 
dark colored, is to be discouraged, for when done in early spring 
the stock that year will often fail to be productive either of 
swarms or surplus honey. Yet when movable frames are 
used, if healthy stocks and early and vigorous swarms are de- 
sired, we should make a general examination as soon as spring 
has fairly opened, and place every stock upon a fair footing for 
the work of the season. Portions of the comb are liable to be- 
come useless from various causes. If the hive was not properly 
"entHated, the lower edges of combs mav be mouldy. The 



BEE PASTURAGE AND PRODUCTS. 57 

brood combs may contain old sour bee-bread, wbicli the bees are 
unable to remove, and this is a frequent cause of failure. There 
may be a great excess of drone-comb. If combs are defective 
in any of these points, trim off so much as is defective and no 
more. In the Eastern States, where the disease called "foul 
brood " is known, the bees of the diseased stock must be driven 
from their combs into an empty box, letting them remain with- 
out combs thirty-six hours, till free from the honey taken with 
them, when they may be put into a new hive and fed in the 
shamber if necessary. Carefully keep the honey from the bees, 
else other stocks wiU contract the disease. If heated to the 
boiling point, it is said, the honey will be harmless and may be 
used for feeding. The disease has never been known west of the 
State of New York, bee-keepers having been careful about ob- 
taining, bees from infected districts. 

MELTING COMBS INTO WAX. 

All waste combs should be rendered into wax, by crowdmg 
them into a sack made of coarse open cloth and placing it in a 
• kettle of boiling water. Continue to press it with a hoe, remov- 
ing the wax as it rises to the top. Wax may be bleached per- 
fectly white by forming it into thin fla-kes, by pouring it upon 
the surface of tepid water and afterwards spreading it upon can- 
vas, out of doors. 

If many hives are kept, it pays well to have a wax extractor. It is 
very convenient to hold and drain the caps in extracting, (See "Wax 
Extractors" page 53). 



CHAPTEE IV. 



THB BXTBACTOB — COMB-FOUNDATION — SURPLUS HONEY IN BOXES AND 
EXTBACTED — MAEKETING HONEY. 




THE HONEX ESTKACTOB. 



STTRPLUS HONEY IN BOXES AND EXTEACTES. 59 

The great object of the beekeeper is to secure surplus honey. All 
management, of bees should look toward securing the greatest amount 
of honey in the best shape for use and for market. 

To this end the Extractor, Oomb-foundation, and boxes of uniform 
size are now essentials. 

The Extractor, invented by Herr von Hruschka, a German, residing in 
Venice, Italy, is a simple instrument, consisting of a cylinderand a revolv- 
ing basket to hold the frame, and a faucet below to draw off the honey. 
It is thrown from the comb by centrifugal force and the emptied comb re- 
turned to the hive to be refilled. It is best that the basket alone revolve 
and not the cylinder. It is turned by a simple gearing at the top. The 
straight wire sides of the basket support the comb and prevent it from 
breaking. 

Two combs, hung in opposite sides of the basket balance each other. 
The honey is thrown from one side by a few turns of the machine, after 
which reverse the sides of the comb and in the same way extract from 
the other. 

A little practice will teach one how hard to turn to extract the 
honey and after a little experience one can soon learn how swift to tarn 
in warm weather so as to throw out the honey from combs containing 
larvae without dislodging the bees. However, we would not advise ex- 
tracting from combs which contain much larvae. 




UNCAPPING KNIFE. 

When honey is capped over, the caps must be shaved off with a sharp 
knife before extracting. The handle of the knife should be bent so that 



60 



THE EXTRACTOE. 



the fingers clasped around it will not be in the way in using the knife. 
The blade will run better if the honey be frequently wiped oft with a 
warm rag, and especial care be taken that no wax stick to it. 




BEES-WAX EXntACTOR. 

The Wax Extractor kept at hand, is an excellent thing in which to 
scrape the caps from the knife. It is readily closed up to keep out in- 
sects, the honey drains off and can be saved, and the clippings are ready 
in it without any handling for melting into wax. 

Honey is not fully ripe until it is sealed over. If extracted before it 
is sealed over it will sometimes sour when put immediately into close 
vessels. It should be kept open to ripen by evapoiation for a time. A 
better way is this: after extracting honey, let it stand for some hoxirs in 
a large vessel having a cock at the bottom. The thin watery honey 
which rises should be fed to the bees, The heavy ripe honey will settle 
to the bottom. 

It should be drawn off by a cock from the bottom of the vessel and 
canned or put up in barrels or jars for market. Before using barrels 
they should be coated inside with melted bees-wax, or paraffine to 
prevent the honey from being tainted and also to prevent leakage. It is 
done by pouring a gallon or so of hot wax into the barrel when dry and 



STJEPLTJS HONEY IN BOXES AVD EXTEACTFD. 61 

warm. It is rinsed around quickly so that the whole surface is covered 
and poured out to be used again. When packed directly for market 
nice pound bottles put up in crates of from two to four dozen will be 
most salable. Grocers can readily handle it in this shape. In stome 
places it is just as salable in self sealing fruit jars. If found to be so 
it is easily put up in this way. 

The Extractor is a necessary article in every apiary for many reasons. 
In good honey harvests, bees will often fill up the brood nest with honey 
so that there is little room left for the queen to lay eggs. When this is 
done the bees necessarily dwindle and sometimes become so weak as to 
be unfit to keep over winter. Whereas by extracting the honey from 
the combs the queen has room to lay eggs, the bees are stimulated to 
greater activity, and the hive is kept strong for future work. By ex- 
tracting freely during a honey harvest far more honey can be secured 
than otherwise, because the bees are thus kept working at their best all 
the time. Again, much honey will will be stored in the broodnest in 
the fall when they will not make comb or store honey in surplus boxes. 
Daless honey is plentiful in the fields, extracting should be done in a 
closed room from which bees are excluded. 

It is best to have an extra set of combs in extracting, and open a hive 
but once, smoking it well if the bees are cross. As the frames are re- 
moved one by one into a carrying-box, the empty ones should take their 
places, and the hive be closed up. 

COMB-FOUNDATION. 

Bees consume much honey in building comb. They cannot store 
honey, or raise brood, without it; and when left to build it they will 
not begin to build until the honey harvest opens. A farmer may suc- 
ceed, if he has hands sufficient, in housing a good crop, though he has 
tools and fences to make, and granaries to build after the seeding time 
opens, but with the same help he cannot secure and house as much as 



62 



COMB-rOUNDATION. 



"when the necessary implements are ready at hand. So bees will gather 
honey and develop much more rapidly when they have comb ready at 
hand when the harvest opens. Sometimes, if left to themselves, they build 
so much drone comb that, unless the hives are watched and the drone 
comb removed, a large lot of useless drones are reared at quite a cost of 
time and honey. 

Hence beekeepers have long felt the need of some way of 
furnishing hives with comb already built. Attempts were made, 
but not until recently was a machine perfected which fully answered 
the purpose of making artificial comb-foundation. By it sheets 




COMB-FOtrNDATTON MACHINE. 



of pure wax are impressed with the exact shape of the bottoms 
and beginning of the side-walls of the cells. Bees readily accept them 



STJBPLUS HONEY IN BOXES AND EXTKACIBD. 63 

and lengthen out the walls of the cells. These sheets of comb-foundation 
are very useful in the brood-nest. They answer best when they contain 
five or six square feet to the pound. They are fastened to the top bars 
in different ways. Some lay a sheet flat on the top bar with the edge 
near the edge of the bar, and smooth it down firmly to the wood with a 
piece of iron, then tack a narrow strip over this into the top bar and 
bend it at right angles so as to hang in the centre of the frame. It should 
not come within less than half an inch of each end and bottom of the 
frame. Others fasten them simply with the strip ; but perhaps the best 
way is to fasten them in small grooves made in the under side of the top 
bar with white glue or wax. "Wax is preferable. 

In the broodnest comb-foundation is exceedingly useful. Sometimes 
bees accept it almost immediately, and within twenty-four hours the 
beginning of the side-walls are lengthened into walls of cells, and the 
queen busy laying eggs in them. They should be made of pure bees-wax 
and not of parafllne or ceresin. They are especially useful in securing fall 
honey where it is abundant. If the full combs for winter use are set away 
and comb-foundation or empty comb inserted, bees will work with mar- 
velous rapidity. At the close of the harvest they can be removed and 
the sealed honey returned for the winter. Sometimes this late fall 
honey is very nice in flavor amd appearance. The sheets if used iu sur- 
plus boxes should be thinner than those in the broodnest because some- 
times bees will not thin them as they do at others. 

By using strips of comb-foundation in boxes or section-frames bees 
are stimulated to work on them more rapidly than otherwise, and honey 
combs more regular in appearance are obtained. 

HONEY BOXES. 

The size and shape of honey boxes should be modified on one hand 
by the habits of the bee, and on the other by the demands of trade. 



64 HONEY BOXES, 

Boxes should be of uniform size so as to be interchangeable and so as to 
be packed for market in crates of uniform size. 

Formerly long low and wide boxes were used and these taken off and 
sent to i^arket just as they were without separating the combs. This 
mode was found very objectionable because the package was too large 
for convenient retail trade, and because the honey must be cut up to 
get at small quantities. This breaking up of honey causes great loss, 
daubs up the store, and drawes flies so that many grocerymen decid- 
edly object to handling it. 

Later, section boxes were prefered which had little grooves through 
which the grocer could split them up into boxes containing single 
combs. These answered better but sometimes combs will be built ir- 
regularly in them unless separators are used. Separate sections with 
glass on each side are popular in some sections, but consumers will soon 
tire of paying for unnecessary glass. So too, by some, boxes with four 
sides of glass are advocated. They supply a demand "where there is 
a sufficient call for fancy styles as will pay the extra prices. Honey 
may be secured in various fancy shapes, hearts, circles, &c., and sold 
to confectioners for weddings and other extra occasions at a great price. 
This is done by cutting the holes in plank or sections and placing them 
in frames in the hive. Bees will fill tumblers and glass jars of any 
shape if a piece of comb be attached for a commencement, and they are 
put over the cluster in time. They should be put on early to be nicely 
filled with pure white honey. 

But aside from fancy purposes the great mass of honey must be put 
up in small convenient packages to suit the retail trade in order to in- 
crease consumption. Bees alone can pack comb nicely in boxes so as 
to prevent waste. In other pursuits a "middle man" does the packing 
&nd preparing for the retail market. Here the bee-keeper must make 



SUBPLUS HONEY IN BOXES AND EXTBACTED. 65 

his bees do it. Boxes should contain but a single comb and from one 
to three pounds of honey, In some places the smaller boxes retail best, 
in others the larger. Other things being equal bees store honey better 
in a two or three pound box than in one smaller though they will start 
well in smaller ones if they are arranged in a large frame so that the 
bees and air can pass freely from one to another. Small boxes have 
this advantage — that when placed at the side of the brood nest, the 
queen is not apt to lay eggs in them. Perhaps the sixe of box which 
one adopts should be regulated to some extent by the size of the hive he 
is using. Two tiers of boxes may be placed in the brood nest in wide 
frames and in these from two to four boxes long according to size of the 
hive. Thus a large frame to fit the broodnest will hold from four to eight 
of the small ones. There may be either two tiers of the wide frames 
holding the boxes, or two tiers of boxes in one wide frame. If the caps 
are shallower than the broodnest the cases should be half the depth of 
the frame and hold one tier of the boxes. Bees store honey more rapid- 
ly in the broodnest, at times than in the cap, but they will seal it up 
more rapidly above. Strips of tin one-half inch narrower than the 
inside depth of the honey box should be tacked on one side of the 
wide frames so as to prevent the passage of bees above and below. Bees 
will not attach comb to tin, and by its use straight combs are gotten in 
the frames which will pacJE closely without mashing. The tops and 
sides of the wide frame which holds the boxes should be two inches 
wide and fit closely together in the hive. The bottom should be one 
and three-fourths wide and tacked in the centre at the bottom so that 
when two are used side by side bees can enter from below between them. 
For the same reason both the bottom and top of the boxes should be 
one and three-fourths inches wide and the sides two inches. If desired 
boxes thus arranged may be covered with glass after they are taken 



66 HOWET BOXES. 

from tlie hive. The glass is fastened in by tin tacks driren into the top 
and bottom and bent over it. 

The best mode of management seems to be that which will enable the 
bee-keeper to place boxes in the broodnest, separated from it by a wire 
cloth division board if they are of large sixe, and so arranged that when 
full they may be removed to the upper chamber to be capped over, and 
empty combs with starters of comb-foundation put in their places. 
When boxes are not used at the sides of the broodnest two tiers should 
at times be used in the upper box. When the boxes in the first tier are 
nearly full and much of it sealed over remove the wide frames contain- 
ing them, bees and all, after smoking thom well, and place frames full 
of empty boxes in there places; giving entrance through the tops of two 
or three to the full ones, which should be placed above them. This will 
prevent the difficulty often experienced of getting bees to work in 
empty boxes when full ones are removed . By the time the upper tier 
of boxes are finished the lower one will generally be half or 'two-thirds 
full. The upper tier of boxes may now be removed without trouble and 
stored away, and the lower tier again raised and other empty ones with 
starters of comb-foundation put in their places. This does not necessi- 
tate entering the body of the hive and the more timid may follow it 
with success. A very good plan when the bee-keeper has not time 
to manipulate, is to use section boxes held together with strips of man- 
ilia paper. 

Comb-honey must be preserved from worms after it is taken from the 
hive. In warm weather many worms will hatch upon it and as they 
feed entirely on wax, they will, if unmolested, eat off the wax which 
seals the honey and cause it to trickle down in a very unmarketable 
condition. This can be prevented by placing the box honey when re- 
moved in a small warm room or box where the miller eggs will hatch. 



SURPLUS HONEY IN BOXES AND EXTRACTED. 



67 



and smoking fuem well with brimstone two or three times at interval? 
of twelve or fifteen davs, using at the rate of a pound of sulphur for 
every 250 to 300 cubic feet contained in the room or box. 

MARKETING HONEY. 

Honey , like other products, must generally be sold in quantities to 
wholesale men who distribute it according to the necessities of trade. 
These wholesale merchants, can themselves repack extracted honey, yet 
as they are apt to adulterate it, the bee-keeper himself should pack 
in small parcels with from two to four dozen jars in a case, to suit the 
trade, placing his own name and apiary on each jar and also labeling it 
as to its source and quality. 

It is more important that comb honey should be packed to suit the 
retail trade, because only bees can properly arrange and secure it. The 
combs should be in small frames or boxes two inches wide and contain, 
ing from one to three pounds. Glass may be added at the sides or not 
according to the demands of the market. These boxes should be packed 
in crates holding from two to four dozen according to size. 




HONEY OEATE. 



The crates should be made in the simplest way. The two ends should 
be of seven-eighths of an inch boards, one-fourth inch longer and deeper 
-than the measurement of the boxes to be inserted. Two strips from 



63 



TJSES OF HONEY. 



seven-eigh.ths to one and one-half inclies wide as best suits the glass to 
be used, between are nailed on each side one at the top and the other at 
the bottom. These strips have a rabbet made for glass on one edge. 
They are nailed two on each side even with the top and bottom of the 
ends Glass of the proper size is slipped into the grooves and secured 
by tin tacks driven into the end pieces and bent over the glass. The 
bottom and top are made by nailing or screwing on one-half inch boards. 
These crates just answer the purpose of the retail dealer. The 
honey is shown through the glass, and the lid keeps out flies and in- 
sects. These crates may be returned if sold to a grocer near by and re- 
filled the next year. With rubber tubing tacked around the crate they 
may be shipped anywhere with perfect safety. But perhaps a better and 
cheaper spring is made by placing the crate in an extra box with small 
3^ire coil springs on each side. 




USES OP H0:SEY. , 

From time immemorial honey has held an important position among 
useful products. In the Bible it is used to illustrate the highest spiri- 
tual enjoyments. The judgments of the Lord are said to be "sweeter 
also than honey and the honey comb." 

In ancient times honey was not only used as an article of diet but 



SURPLUS HONEY IN BOXES AND EXTRACTED. 69 

^held also an important place among medicines. In this age of chemis 
try and new and patent medicines, almost any one of which will cure 
any disease from toothache to cancer or consumption, the virtues of 
such an old fashioned article as honey are almost lost sight of; but 
when quackery shall have had its day, it will again be found, we believe, 
that there is great virtue in honey, especially in diseases affecting the 
lungs and throat. 

Many of the old doctor books give receipts for the medical use of 
honey. In the Paris catalogue of edibles and drinkables says John 
Hunter; in his "Manual of Bee-Keeping:" "Were shown honey-bread, 
spiced bread, fruits preserved in honey, jellies, sweetmeats, cakes, 
bon bons, pastiles, and chocolates, whilst for eau de vie we need not 
leave old England, seeing it is made both from honey and wax. Then 
we have hydromel, or metheglin, champagne, red and white wines, 
liquors, fruit syrups, vinegar and fruit cordials. This is a pretty list 
of delicacies for our housewives to exercise their ingenuity and skill 
upon. Eegretfully I say I have no knowledge how to make most of 
these good things." He thus describes the process of making metheg- 
lin: "When the comb has been drained of its honey, put it in a large 
vessel, then pour in sufficient luke warm water to swim it nicely. Let 
it stand two days, stir occasionally, then strain it. Skim the scum 
from the liquor carefully, filter the sediment through a flannel, then boil 
one hour. To three gallons add two pounds of raisins, one ounce ground 
ginger, and seven or eight laurel leavQ3, then cool. Add a little brewers* 
yeast, let it stand part of a day, then barrel it, leaving the barrel open 
for two or three days ; bung it up and let it remain untouched for six 
months, then bottle it. * * The longer it is kept the better it will 
be. " If an egg will float on the liquor it will be about the right strength. 
Metheglin may of course be made from run honey, but by soaking the 



70 USES OF HONEY. 

combs in v ater we utilize tlie honey which would otherwise be lost. A 
little lump of sugar put in each bottle will make it as fine as brandy. 

Honey vinegar is made as follows: Put a half pound of honey to a 
quart of water, boiling hot; mix well, and expose to the greatest heat of 
the sun without closing the vessel containing it, but sufficiently so to 
keep out insects. In about six weeks this liquor becomes acid and 
changes to strong vinegar of an excellent quality. 

Honey is prescribed by the medical council of Great Britain for use in 
the following pharmaceutical preparations, viz. : Confection of pepper, 
confection of scammony, confection of turpentine, honey and borax, 
oxymel of squills, and simple oxymel. It is used in various medical 
preparations also. In America increasing attention is being given to 
the medical properties of honey. 

Honey Cake, No. 1— John Hunter's. — "Mix a quart of strained 
honey with a half pound of powdered white sugar, half a pound of fresh 
butter and the juice of two oranges or lemons. * "Warm these ingredients 
slightly, just enough to soften the butter, and then stir the mixture 
very hard, adding a grated nutmeg. Mix in gradually two pounds or 
less of sifted flour, make it into a dough just stitf enough to roll out easily 
and beat it well all over with a rolling pin, then roll it out into a large 
sheet half an inch thick, cut it into round cakes with the top of a 
tumbler dipped frequently in flour, lay them in shallow tin pans, 
slightly buttered and bake them. " 

Honey Cakes, No. 2.— Soak three cups of dried apples over night; chop 
slightly and simmer in two coffee cups of honey for two hours, then add 
one and a half coffee cups of honey, one half coffee cup of sugar, one 
coffee cup of melted butter, three eggs, two teaspoons saleratus, cloves, 
cinnamon, powdered lemon or orange peel,and ginger syrup.if you have 
it. Mix all together, add the apples and thin flour enough for a stiff 



SUEPIiUS HONEY IN BOXES AND EXTRACTED. Vl 

batter. Bake in a slow oven. This will make two good sized cakes. 

Honey Cakes, No. 3 — Muth's. — One gallon of honey, (dark honey is 
best, ) fifteen eggs, three pounds of sugar, (a little more honey in its 
place may be better), one and a half ounces of baking soda, two ounces 
of hartshorn, two poimds of almonds (chopped up), two pounds of 
citron, four ounces of cinnamon, two ounces of cloves, two ounces of 
mace, eighteen pounds of flour. Let the honey come to almost a boil; 
then let it cool off again and add the ingredients. Cut out and bake. 
The cakes are iced afterward with sugar and the white of eggs. 

Honey Pudding. — Three pints thinly sliced apples, one pint of honey 
one pint of corn meal, small piece of butter, one teaspoonful soda, the 
juice of two lemons and their grated rinds. Stir the dry soda into the 
honey, then add the apples, melted butter and a little salt; now, add 
the lemon rind and juice and at once stir in the flour. Bake one hour. 
Serve hot or cold with sauce. 

Honey Mead is a drink which is becoming popular in some of our 
cities within the past few years. We do not favor drinking, but if men 
must drink something, we think the more innocent the drink the better 
for them. 

CITY bee-keeping. 

In the whole round of natural history, nothing is more interesting 
than the study of the honey bee. Not only those who live in the coun- 
try, but almost anywhere in our land, a few "bees may be kept with 
pleasure and profit. A single hive, with an "Observing Hive " filled 
from it in the summer and placed in the parlor (see "Observing Hive") 
will furnish means to test and study the curious things about the bee. 

Not only is this true in our smaller towns and smaller cities, but even 
in the heart of our largest cities, bees will find pasturage among the 
millions of flowers that bloom lender every window that decks the lawns 



72 USES OF HONEY. 

And gardens and walks, and from many of the maple, locusts and other 
shade trees along the streets and parks. Besides, bees will fly three or 
four miles for pasturage with profit. 

Mr.W. J. Pettitt has, for a number of years, conducted successfully an 
apiary of some fifty or sixty hives of bees in the heart of the city of Dover, 
England, which find a good living and a surplus for the owner among 
the innumerable flowers of various species that fringe the jutting edges 
of the white cliifs about Dover 

Mr. Charles F. Muth, well ^nown to the apiarians of the "West, has, 
for several years, kept an apiary in the city of Cincinnati ; which, we 
believe, numbers between twenty and thirty hives. He is quite an 
enthusiast, and finds them very interesting and profitable. 

Being perfectly satisfied of the feasibility of city beekeeping, we have 
procured a large number of bees, and through courtesy of Mr. Hol- 
land, president of the American Express Company, we have establish- 
ed an interesting apiary upon the roof of their large building, 61 Hudson 
street. New York, in the management of which we anticipate much 
pleasure. "We have no fears as to the source of their supplies, and we 
recommend beekeeping as a profitable industry, to assist many families 
in this, and the outskirts of other towns where there is space for placing 
them. 

It was the opinion of Huish, a distinguished English writer on bees, 
in 1817, that within the circumference of ten miles of London, ample 
provision might be found for the support of ten thousand hives. Since 
that time developments of this industry show that he has underrated 
rather than overrated the capacity for bees, especially when applied to 
our land of flowers. 



STTBPLUS HONEY IN BOXES AND EXTBAOTED. «o 

THE BEE-KEEPINa INDTJ8TRT. 

Pftlewiine was called "a land that floweth with milk and honey," and 
with more truth, may the same be applied to our own country. Until 
two centuries ago, honey held its place as the great sweet of the world. 
The art of refining sugar, caused it to be left far behind, because the bee- 
keeper still pursued the old plan of annually murdering his faithful 
workers, to get their stores. 

Honey has ever been considered of great medicinal power in certain 
classes of diseases, and is very palatable to a large proportion of people, 
but the small supply of the article and the inferiority of that which 
under old methods of squeezing and draining from the mashed combs 
caused it to fall into comparative disuse. But within a generation 
greater strides have been made in the development of this industry 
than in any other.' Sugar can bp produced and refined only 
with a great amount of capital, but every family throughout the land 
can help to swell the products of this industry and the number of both 
large and small bee-keepers is increasing with amazing rapidity. Even 
the cotton gin added no more to its appropriate industry than has the 
various improvements of movable comb hives, extractors,, comb-founda- 
tion, queen rearing, wax machines, smokers, modes of wintering and 
means of protecting the person from stings, added to the bee-keeping 
industry. W.e cannot too strongly reiterate the absolute necessity now 
for these improvements, To do without them now, in bee-culture is as 

bad as the man who attempts to ' * seed cotton " for a living in thfse days 

s 
of cotton gins and steam manufacturing mills. 

In speaking of this great industry we know not hardly where to begin. 
There are now three or four magazines devoted exclusively to the sub- 
ject. Many bee-keepers' conventions, State, local, and national, have 



76 



FOE THE BEGINNEE. 



Inaismucli as there are many questions whicli beginners ask, we pro- 
pose in tliis article to be more explicit for their benefit, than vfe would 
be to advanced apiarists., especially in the explanation of words and 
implements used in modern bee-keeping. 

The word bee, is of good old Anglo-Saxon origin, and we like it. Apis 
is the Latin word meaning a bee, from which we get the word apiary, 
meaning a place where bees are kept; apiarian meaning one who keeps 




VIEW OP OUR HOME APIAET. AT NEVADA, OHIO, 1869. 

bees ; and api culture, which is the same as bee-culture. We sometimes 
see the word " mel-extrador." Mel is the Latin word for honey. Hence, 
mel-extractor means honey-extractor; and "apis-melifica" means the 
honey making bee. This term is applied especially to the black bee 
in natural history^ whilst others are distinguished b7 some local adjec- 
tive as apis ligusiica, meaning the ligurian, or Italian bee. 
If you watch a hive of bees in spring, you will see piany coming in 



SUBPLUS HONEY IN BOXES AND EXTEACTED 



77 



with little balls on their hind legs. Some of them yellow and some of 
other colors. Some ignorant people suppose that this is wax. It is 
pollen, or powdered farina, gathered from the stamens of flowers. It 
is of very disagreable taste, and care should be taken that none be mixed 







HONEY- COMB. 

a —Drone-cells, c— Worker-cells. 

&— Deformed-cells. d~Queen-cell. 

with onr honey. It is used largely in rearing young bees On opening 

a hive, you will often find it stuck tight with some dark colored sticky 

stuff, that gums your hand on handling the frames. It is "propolis'^ a 



78 bee's tongue. 

glue obtained from certain plants, which bees use for gluing .up all cre- 
vices and making the hive tight. Drones and queen bees do not sting. 
They may be handled with impunity. Only worker bees sting. A 
little experience will enable you to tell the loud coarse buzzing botmd 
of a flying drone from the softened hum of the worker. And the keen 
mad hum, when about to sting, is easily distinguished from the gentle 
hum of a worker bee when attending to his regular duties. Tou should 
examine some comb and learn to tell the difierence between worker 
comb, in which an inch measures across the top of five cells, whilst 
four drone cells measure an inch in the same way. 

Honey will be put in either, and sometimes the cells are considerably 
lengthened out to hold honey. If the walls of cells are broken off, bees 
will soon build them up when honey is gotten. 




bee's tongue. 
The antennae of a bee are two little organs sticking up like horns, on 
the front of the head, sometimes called "feelers." They seem to be the 
organs of touch, and are the means of intercommunication of knowl- 
edge The ligula, commonly called the tongue, is folded when at 
rest, but when at work it is darted rapidly among the flowers; receives 



SUBPIiUS HONEY IN BOXES AND EXTBACTED. 79 

the honey and conveys it to the honey-sacs, from which it is emptied 
into the cells. The engraving shows how the tongue appears when 
magnified. A is the hollow tube through which the sweet juice or 
honey is sucked. The reported division of the tube into three parts 
stated by naturalists, is corroborated by the longitudinal line seen under 
the lens. The other large appendages shown, appear to be feet for en- 
abling the bee to support itself while sucking up the nectar, and also 
for enabling it to back out after getting all it wants. 

The sting is often the dread of beginners. It is composed of two 
darts in one sheath. These darts when inserted into the flesh penetrate 




BEE-STING. 

alternately, till the whole sting is buried. Each is furnished with barbs, 
which retain it until the poison escapes. The poison bag lies near the 
root of the sting, and the poison is ejected along the barbed darts into 
the wound. When stung remove the sting by rubbing it outward, and 
not by catching it between the thumb and finger, because in this way all 
the poison is pressed from the bag into the wound and the effect is much 
severer than it otherwise would be. After extracting the sting, pinch or 
press the wound and apply some alkali, as soda or hartshorn. 



80 



QTJEEN CEIiL A:^D LAEVa!. 



In brood rearing remember that queens ha+ch in about fourteen days 
from the egg; workers in about twenty-one; and drones in about twen- 
ty-four days. Any worker egg may be used by the bees in rearing a 
queen. If the egg is batched before it is used by the bees, the queen 
may emerge in less than fourteen days. The queen lays eggs very rapid- 
ly, sometimes as many as 2,000 or 3,000 per day. She bends her bodj', 
in laying and leaves the small white egg, sticking to the bottom 
of the cell. In the accompanying figure at & & eggs are shown 




N?2. 



at the bottom of the cell, and larvae in different stages at c c. No. 1 re- 
presents a queen-cell cut open, to show its construction. It is attached 
to the comb at e. The part removed is shown at d; the queen larvse at 
6, and the royal jelly at c. No. 2. shows one of the larvae taken from 
its cell. And No. 3. the same just before it begins to spin its cocoon. 



SURPLUS HONET IN BOXES AND EXTRACTED. 



81 



The queen lays the egg; after it is hatched it is a little worm, grub, or 
maggot, called a larva for five or six days. The bees then cover the 
cell and the larvaa spins around itself a silken covering called a cocoon. 




THE OVARIES OF THE QUEEN BEE. 



After this it is called a mymph, pupa, or chrysalis, when the proper time 
arrives, it comes forth from the cell, a perfect bee. The cocoon is left as 



82 OVAEIES or THE QUEE2J BEE. 

a lining in the cell when a bee hatches. This makes old combs much 
stronger than new ones 

Perhaps the most peculiar and interesting part of the Queen Bee is the 
ovaries, or egg-bag. It consists of a pair of organs, represented hjFF 
in the cut . Each is composed of tubes full of eggs, in every stage of 
growth which start from near the apex H and open into one duct on 
each side as shown in the cut. Each egg passes through a common 
channel C on its way to the cell, passing by a little sac I, called the 
" spermatheca," from which all eggs destined to become workers are 
impregnated in passing. 

The body and legs of bees are covered with fine hairs, to which pollen 




.adheres, which is brushed off by the bee and packed in baskets on their 
hind legs. 

A young queen seems incapable of fertilizatiop after she is three weeks 
old, and lays only drone eggs. She is generally fertilized at from five 
to twelve days of age; in which act, this sac J is filled with seminal fluid 
from the drone. It is now generally believed that the queen is able to 
fertilize the eggs as they pass the spermatheca, at her option. Adjacent 
organs are represented by the letters A B D and E. 

We would recommend every beginner to transfer his bees at once when 



SURPLUS HONEY IN BOXES AND EXTRACTED. 83 

the frait blossoms appear, in to hives with movable combs, so that he 
may use intelligent judgment on the subject. (See transferring. ) This 
operation seems at first formidable, but if the bees are well smoked, 
(see smoker,) they will soon fill themselves with honey, and be 
almost as harmless as flies, unless mashed. If no smoker is at hand a 
roll of coarse cotton cloth may be used for the purpose. Place it well 
lighted under the mouth of the hive, and the bees will soon be subdued. 
The peculiar sound which they set up indicates subjugation. In mov- 
able comb hives, we speak of the 1 >wer box as the broodnest, and the 
upper one as the cap, or upper chamber. 

As to hives, adopt some good pattern, and stick to it. Make them so 
exact that every part of each will fit with that part of another. This is 
very important for many advantages are gained in an apiary by the in- 
terchange of frames and parts of hives. For entrances, we recommend 
only one in front, three-eighths by three inches, which can be supple- 
mented by auger holes above. These can be stopped with corks for 
winter. 

Every hive should have at least one closely fitting divison board in 
order to contract the space for the colony according to its strength and 
the season. 

Do not be afraid of^ feeding bees when no honey is gathered in the 
fields. If done regularly and systematically it will often repay one 
himdred fold. (See " Feeding," page 112). 

Always aim to keep strong colonies. These are always the best in 
every respect, except at times when a number of queens are to be rear- 
ed. Then nwcZeus, or small hives may be used. (See "Queen Bearing.") 
Strong stocks will be most apt to rear bright Italian queens, but if the 
weather is cold queens are more apt to be dark colored. In handling 
queens never catch them by the body, but by the wing. In searching 



84 MANAGEMENT OF BEES. 

in the hive for the queen she is most apt to be found on combs from 
which young bees are just hatching. It is best to open hives in the 
warm part of the day, both because then the propolis is soft and the 
combs are not necessarily jarred in removing them, and because then 
most of the old bees are absent in the fields. 

In opening a hive blow smoke into the entrance for a few moments, 
until the subdued hum is distinctly heard, and as the quilt is lifted from 
one comer, follow it up with smoke. Stand on the side towards which 
the wind is blowing, least your breath madden the bees. Kemember 
that the human breath is very offensive to them, and do not breathe 
directly on them, or you may suffer thereby. 

"We recommend beginners always to use a bee veil to to protect the 
face, and if fearful, also at first, rubber gloves or coarse yam ones. 
Gloves of buckskin, leather, and kid have proved of little value, as bees 
easily sting through them. It is well to have an extra veil or two on 
hand for use by a visiting friend. As one becomes accustomed to the 
work he can by degrees leave these off as he finds himself able. But we 
would caution against entering hives carelessly, because they have been 
very gentle. Sometimes when the honey ceases to flow, a colony here- 
tofore the most peaceable, will sting severely if opened without proper 
precaution. 

Let no patent man beguile you into using moth traps. Strong colon- 
ies are the best preventives against their depredations. The presence 
of an infertile or drone-laying queen, or a fertile worker may be suspect- 
ed by eggs irregularly laid or found dropped about, outside the cells. 

When honey is scarce in the fields, be careful to leave no sweets expos- 
ed, and if robbing commences, be quick to stop it, before great mischiei 
is done. (See "Robbing," page 101). 

A word of caution is always necessary to the beginner, least he overdo 



SUEPLUS HONEY IN BOXES AND EXTRACTED. 85 

the matter of increasing his stocks. Eemember the bee-keeper is rich, 
not according to the number, but according to the strength of his colon- 
ies during the honey season. Never attempt to do more than double 
your bees if honey is desired, and unless the season is specially good do 
not make more than one new swarm from two colonies. 

If an Italian queen is reared for introduction, and you wish to catch 
her for any purpose, let her fly upon the window, when she can be 
readily caught by the wing. Decide on the manner of introducing her 
to the colony to be used, (See "Introducing Queens,'' p. 110) and do it as 
gently as possible. Eelease the queen when the hive is as quiet as 



Beginners sometimes think that it is too expensive to paint hives. 
This is a mistake. One cannot afford nof to paint them, because they 
will soon injure in exposure to the weather by splitting, swelling, or 
warping, so as to fit badly, and cause much greater loss than the cost of 
painting. We prefer three good coats, all white or clouded, though the 
paints should be of different colors, to be distinguished by the bees. 
Dark colored hives become much hotter in summer by absorbing the 
rays of the sun, and the new comb is much more liable to melt down 
than in white hives. 

Less expense attends providing proper hives for bees, according to the 
income derived from them, than any stock about the farm. Stables, barns, 
sheds, daries, cow-houses, &c., are necessary for stock, which do not 
yield proportionally better returns than bees, in the management of 
which, even on a large scale, all that is necessary, are hives — which are 
of permanent value — a wax extractor, and a honey extractor. Yearly 
there will be need for comb-foundation, frames, boxes, and crates, or 
jars. But these last cost no more than what is oftentimes necessary for 



86 MANAGEMENT OF BEES. 

properly marketing some other things. Besides this, a good honey 
house is necessary, if there is no building at hand to be used for such. 

Perhaps a more specific description of these later improvements, and 
the advantages of their use, may be of value to beginners: Brood 
comb seems to be the foundation of development in a hive . Its presence 
is necessary to a proper conduct of the business of the hive. If not 
present, bees must make it before rapid normal development in the hive 
is possible. Honey-comb is made entirely of pure wax. This is a secre- 
tion from the body of the bee, [see page 47] . In order to build this 
comb, they must consume some fifteen or twenty times its weight in 
honey, besides the time necessary for the wax secretion. The im- 
portance of giving to bees, combs ready made, has long been known. 
They will unite and use any scraps of comb which may be preserved 
and fastened temporarily into frames. Nice pieces of drone comb may 
advantageously be used in honey boxes. But the difficulty of getting 
a supply of natural comb, led to various experiments in order to supply, 
artificially this deficiency. During the last year these sheets of artificial 
comb-foundation were largely used, and firmly established as of very 
great utility in the apiary. 

Until recently, attempts at making artificial comb, both in Germany 
and England, were from the use of pktes, which were necessarily slow. 
But more recently, machines have been made by which continuous 
sheets of wax, of proper thickness, are, on passing between its engrav- 
ed rollers, impressed on both sides with the exact bottoms of cells as 
made by the bees, and between each, a shoulder of wax is left which the 
bees quickly lengthen into side walls. The demand for this article, 
says one of the largest manufacturers of it, " Is increasing so steadily, 
that it is quite probable the supply of wax will be the only limit to its 
manufacture and use. " 



SUKPLUS HONEY IN BOXES AND EXTRACTED. 87, 

It is important that pure wax should be used, for all substitutes pro- 
posed for it have heretofore failed. 

The wax sheets are made by pipping a sheet of galvanized iron into a 
vessel of melted wax. By dipping two or three times, according to the 
temperature of the heated wax, the sheets will be of sufficient thickness- 
The wax is scaled from the sheets and when well cooled, rolled 
through the foundation machine. Soap suds rubbed upon the 
rolls will prevent the sheets from sticking, but as bees seem sometimes 
to object to it, water into which a little bark, called soap hark is put, 
is now generally used, and seems to answer as well. "We are, by the 
advice of A. I. Eoot, now using, with great satisfaction, common starch, 
prepared as for starching clothes. The roller should be well wet with it 
before use, and when necessary. 

These sheets are readily cut up into smaller pieces of any desired 
dimensions. Perhaps the best way to cut them, where many are used, is 
with a cutter made from a round piece of tin, filed sharp on the circum- 
ference and fixed to run as a wheel on a pivot through the centre, which 
fastens it to the handle. This can be run rapidly along any guide to 
mark the size required. 

HOW TO FASTEN COMB-rOUNDATION IN FRAMES. 

This is done in different ways. It is important that it he fastened firm- 
ly all along ihe top bar, in order to prevent sagging. Some use melted 
wax or white glue, but they are troublesome, and when used in 
honey boxes are apt to leave a lump of the substance on the bar, which 
is decidedly objectionable. 

We recommend fastening them by placing the frames bottom upwards 
on a table, and laying the sheet on the top bar so that the edge comes 
nearly across it. Now, take a screw driver or piece of smooth firm^ iiqVg 



88 • COMB-FOUNDATION IN FBAMES. 

and rub it down hard to the wood until it adheres all along. One corner 

of the iron should go entirely to the wood at the finishing stroke. On this 

tack a small thin strip of wood into the top bar, so placed that when 

f 
the sheet is bent up against it, it hangs m the centre of the frame. If 

the frames have comb guides, the comb is fastened to in it the same 
manner, but there is not always need for the extra strip to be tacked on. 
When frames are filled with foundation, they should be hung in an 
empty hive or similar box so as to be preserved from injury until need- 
ed. The best way we have seen for fastening comb into the small honey 
boxes or sections, is to make a small groove or saw cut in the centre of 
the upper bar and fasten it in by bending it open or by sticking it in 
whilst warm with wax or glue. 

There are many advantages gained by the use of comb-foundation, 
some of which we will enumerate: 

First. In transferring bees if every other frame be filled with it they 
vrill aU be filled with straight combs. 

Second. When bees are inclined to build too much drone comb, the 
hive is easily filled with worker comb by its use. 

Third. In early Spring it is very valuable to insert in the broodnest, 
to stimulate breeding, and assist in rapidily building up the colony or 
in fc\rming new ones, which otherwise would be checked from the lack of 
coml/ 

FoTixth. To insert in a choice hive to secure eggs for queen rear- 
ing, on a new soft comb on which bees are most apt to build good 
queen-cells. 

Fifth To have on hand in extracting, to insert in one or two of the 
first hives opened, in order to get a supply of combs ahead, so as 
not to open a hive but once. 



SUEPLUS HONEY IN BOXES AND EXTIJACTED. 83 

Sixth. To insert when full combs of dark honey are set away for 
wintering. 

Seventh. To prevent too much drone rearing. 

Eighth. To give the queen extra room at any time in manipulating a 
hive when it is not just convenient to extract at the time. 

Ninth. To secure continuous breeding by feeding, at times when 
combs are scarce or when bees are loth to build. 

Tenth. To gather full supplies of fall honey at a time when bees are 
not inclined to to build comb." 

Eleventh. To insure at any time straight comb, for easy management. 

Twelfth. To stimulate bees to work quickly in boxes. It is doubtful 
whether it is advisable to use much of it in the boxes ; though practiced 
largely by some, yet a small strip does induce them to work more quick- 
ly in the boxes. 

It is extremely important that only pure hees-wax be used, and especi- 
ally is this the case if any is to be used as the foundation of box honey 
for the table. 

This shows the importance of using the Wax Extractor, spoken of on 
page 53, by which alone pure wax can be obtained. This wax should 
be carefully saved by every apiarian in a shape suitable to be made into 
comb foundation, as above described. Those who have the machines 
advertise to give one pound of foundation for two of pure wax. This 
exchange is far better for small apiarians, than for them to attempt to 
make it for themselves. We advise all to avail themselves of the great 
advantages of comb-foundation, and also of the honey extractor. 

As many beginners do not understand the principle on which the 
extractor works, nor the advantages gained by its use, we will here 
more minutely describe its mechanism, mode of use, and advantages 
gained by it. 



93 THE HONEY EXTRACTOE. 

It is sometimes called the honey slinger, because when operated the 
honey is thrown or slung from the cells by centrifugal force, and drawn 
oflf at the bottom into a receiving vessel. There are various kinds of 
good extractors in the market, some one of which every apiarian should 
have. They all act on the centrifugal princple, and consist of a can to 
catch the honey, and a revolving wire cloth basket within, which 
receives the comb and turns with it. This should be run with a gearing 
above. A temporary one might be made with ingenuity, from a large 
barrel, after painting it well with wax, but good tin ones are now so 
cheap that it is best and cheapest in the end, to buy one of these. The 
can should have a faucet near the bottom for drawing ofl the honey. 

The size of the frame used, regulates both the size of basket and the 
can. The basket should be of light material built on a shaft which 
turns in a nut at the bottom, by means of a single gearing at the top 
Two opposite sides of the basket should be made of tinned wire cloth, 
supported by strips of tin and a little larger than the frames to be 
used. The wire cloth against which the combs lie in extracting, should 
be tinned, and not merely galvanized, for the acids in honey will cor- 
rode the galvanized iron and poison it to some extent. It should have 
from three and a half to five meshes to the inch. The basket should be 
two or three inches from the bottom to give some space for honey below 
and as much above to prevent it from spraying over the top. The 
cylinder is made of good tin, with heavy wire in the top to strengthen 
it. The bottom is made of a round piece of tin, a little larger than the 
space to be filled by it. From one side cut out a trangular section to 
the centre or a little beyond, and in its place sodder a similar piece a 
little larger, and previously bent in to the shape of a trough. The 
bottom, thus fixed will permit ail the honey to run towards the centre 
and then down the trough through the faucet. There is fastened on and 



SUEPLUS HONEY IN BOXES AND EXTRACTED. 91 

over this, a tin hoop, four or five inches wide, made stiff with wire on 
the bottom edge, soldered on for it to rest upon. No covering is 
needed when in use, but to keep out insects, at other times, any kind of 
a simple covering will answer, though perhaps none is more convenient 
than a circular piece of cloth of proper size with a rubber cord in the 
hem. When honey is gathered plentifully, any convenient shady place 
answers well for extracting, but if scarce, the combs must be carried 
into some house out of the way of the bees. Sometimes it is more con- 
venient to use for this purpose, a movable tent, covered with cotton cloth. 
If so, it is easily made from scantling for the bottom, and poles which 
support the cloth fastened in auger holes. They are easily lifted from 
the holes and folded away when desirable. 

A little experience will teach one, how fast and long to turn, to extract 
the honey. Open the hive gently, after smoking the bees for a moment. 
Shake the bees directly on the top of the frames or on a board in front. 
In the first method there is less danger of losing the queen or of induc- 
ing robbing. Brush the bees off with a tuft of broomcorn or a green 
twig. A feather is not so good; it seems to irritate the bees. Place the 
comb gently in the extractor, and turn very gently if the comb is new 
or the frame not filled. If very heavy with honey do not aim to get it 
all from the first side, until it has been turned, because heavy new comb 
is injured by the wires mashing into it, when the velocity is great. 

ADVANTAGES OF THE EXTKACTOR. 

We caution against a too free use of the extractor, unless prepared to 
feed if necessary, should a honey drought come when stores are thus 
too much reduced, or if done too late in the fall. 

Judiciously used, the extractor is of great advantage in the following 
points, as given by Kev. J. W. Shearer in The Bee-Keepebs' Magazine, 
Vol, v., No. 6, page 115: 



92 ADVANTAGES OP THE EXTBACTOE. 

"First. In a good honey harvest, the cells of hatching brood are 
afterwards filled with honey, so that the queen has little room to rear 
brood. "When this is the case, the bees will decrease very rapidly, and 
are sometimes lost. Extracting the honey gives the queen room, stimu- 
lates the workers, strengthens the swarm, and helps to keep it in good 
condition to take advantage of the next honey harvest. 

"Second. Bees will often lay up honey rapidly in combs furnished 
by extracting, when they will not make new combs. 

"Third. This is true, especially in the fall harvest, when instinct 
prompts them to store honey rapidly, when there is but little in the 
hive. Seldom is more rapid work seen than in a spring colonly closely 
extracted in the fall. Each bee seems to be racing with his neighbor. 
Instinct prompts to build but little comb in the fall, and it is often too 
cool for box building some time before they cease to lay up in the hive. 
Hence, much less fall honey is obtained, when box honey alone is relied 
on. The full benefit of fall extracting, is gotten only whtn the apiarian 
has experience and expertness in rapidly supplying syrup for winter- 
ing. "Without this, a fear of losing the bees should check a too free use 
of the extractor. 

* 'Fourth. "When the extractor is mainly relied on, after a hive has 
been swarmed, it may be doubled in this way: giving a great deal of 
comb and a quantity of bees. Swarm a stand by the exchange method, 
and instead of placing the old stock containing the young workers and 
brood on a new stand, place them in the second story of this stock. 
Thus a double set of comb is given, the hive, full of comb, is soon 
full of bees by the hatching above and below; has a fertile queen below, 
which is necessarily prolific, whilst much honey is stored above for 
extracting. 

** By this method, instead of increasing by swarming in the summer, 



SUBPLUS HONEY IN BOXES AND EXTBACTED. 93 

strong colonies have the swarming propensity gratified, and are kept at 
work. By raising queens in August and setting away full combs, they 
are easily separated into good strong colonies for winter. Extracted 
honey may be put directly into barrels or cans. In this case it is much 
more apt to candy. After ripening or evaporating for a few days it is 
less liable to candy. It is a great trouble thus to preserve it, since all 
insects will drop into it and get drowned. The best mode of taking care 
of extracted honey is to put it directly into fruit cans, and seal up when 
almost at the boiling point. Thus the air is driven out and it seldom 
candies. It may be heated in large quantities and at once put up secure- 
ly, so that there is no loss from leakage, or a second handling, or any 
fear of impurities from insects or dust. It is then ready for market. 
The cans are useful in every household when the honey is used up, and 
the consumer does not feel that he is paying for useless bottles." 

The value of these great improvements in apiculture are so well 
acknowledged, that it is hardly necessary to add any testimonials. Lead- 
ing apiarians everywhere agree concerning the advantages of the extrac- 
tor, and of comb-foundation for the broodnest . Some yet argue against 
its use in boxes, on the ground of impurities in the wax, which may en- 
danger the price of box Money. The Bellows Smoker is one of these 
simple conveniences, concerning which the testimony constantly receiv- 
ed is: "I could not do without it." "I would not take $50 or $100 
for mine, if it could not be replaced." '* It is more than is claimed for 
it," &c. Every beginner should furnish himself with a veil, a bellows 
smoker, and — even though not over two hives are kept — an extractor 
will pay the first year. 

GOLDEN RULES. 

First. — Keep all colonies strong. This is the best protection against 
moths and robbers; the surest way to secure an abundance of surplus 
honey, and such colonies, with sufficient stores, are wintered most safely. 

Second. — In handling bees, be gentle. Subdue them, if necessary, 
with smoke, which causes them to fill themselves with honey. **A bee 
filled with liquid sweets, will not volunteer an attack." If stung, scrape 
off the sting at once. 

Third. — Have the hive carefully protected from the severe and sud- 
den changes in spring. 



94 HOW TO KEMOVB HONEY BOXES AND EXPEL IHE BEES. 

Fourth. — Hives — Let all hives and parts of hives be interchangeable 

Fifth. — Swarming — Have queen-cells or young queens ready before 
dividing. These are most conveniently raised with regular sized frames. 

Sixth. — Inserting Queens — Let the colony be conscious of its loss, 
destroy all queen-cells, let the same scent be given, and the bees be as 
quiet as possible when the operation is performed. 

Seventh. — Secure and pack honey in attractive packages, easily 
handled. 

Eighth. — Judicious feeding, cystematically followed in times of 
drought, pays well. 

HOW TO EEMOVE HONEY BOXES AND EXPEL THE BEES. 

Near sunset remove the cap and raise the end of -the box just enough 
to blow under a little smoke, when the bees will leave the holes, which 
may be covered with blocks or an empty box turned bottom up. Set 
the full boxes right side up on strips upon the stand, so that they shall 
be three eights of an inch from the board and five or six inches from 
the entrance of the hive. Gently rap upon the boxes until the bees 
begin in good earnest to leave for the hive. Being filled with honey 
there is no danger of their stinging from the rough treatment received. 
The burning of those that enter will give notice to the others of their 
position near their home. Should some remain in the boxes they may 
be left till morning if the weather be pleasant, but must be removed 
early, least the bees commence carrying the honey into the hive. If 
preferred the boxes may be placed upon theirjsides in a tight box or bar- 
rel, and a thin cloth thrown over the top. Seeing the light the bees 
will creep up on the cloth, and if this be turned over occasionally all 
except a few young ones will find their way back to the hive. Late in 
the season, when the nights are cool, if this cap be raised in the eve- 
ning, the boxes will usually be clear of bees by morning. As soon as 
the flowers have failed or the bees commence carrying down honey from 
the unsealed cells, all boxes should be removed, unless, as is sometimes 
the case, when the latter part of the season has been unfavorable, an 
insufficient supply has been stored in the body of the hive. In this 
case if not left, the bees should be fed. (See "Feeding," page 148.) 



CHAPTER Y. 

ARTIFICIAL SWARMIXa. 

That bees may be swarmed artificially, altbougb not known 
to all even at the present day, is not a late discovery, but haa 
been practiced for over a century, with more or less success, 
depending entirely upon the observance of the three following 
conditions, to wit: the proper time for swarming; the condition 
of the stock; and whether the method employed was in harmony 
with or in violation of the laws which govern the economy of 
the hive. 

1st. The time for swarming is not until the yield of honey is 
abundant and drones are numerous in the apiary, nor should it 
be performed so late in the season that the bees will not have 
time to become strong in numbers and rich in stores before the 
frosts of autumn cut short the pasturage. The 'safest rule, foi 
the inexperienced, is to wait until natural swarms begin to issue, 
unless he can have a finished queen-cell to give the queenless 
part, or, what is much better, a fertile queen, in which case he 
may swarm somewhat earher or later than the usual time for 
natural swarms. 

2d. The stock to be swarmed should be very populous, for if 
swarmed when too weak, it is thus robbed of its power to 
generate heat for breeding, and should unfavorable weather 



96 ARl'IFIOIAL SWABMING. 

ensue both parts will often be deficient in numbers and stores for 
winter; whereas, had the stock been left until it could have 
spared a swarm, both would be prepared for winter, beside 
yielding ample returns in surplus honej as the reward of proper 
management. There will sometimes be a season when these 
conditions will not occur in all the stocks in the apiary. Such 
stocks should not be swarmed that season. The only safeguard 
against poor seasons is strong stocks, for thev will work whiib 
others are idle. 

3d. The value of any method depends, in a great measure 
upon the certainty of, and the time required for, supplying the 
queenless part with a fertile queen. Yet, the method any one 
should adopt, or whether he should allow his bees to swarm once 
naturally, will depend much upon his desire for increase of stocks, 
and the number of colonies or apiaries he may wish to manage. 
Hence, we shall describe several methods, contrasting their 
advantages and disadvantages with natural swarming. The 
practice of multiplying colonies by artificial means, has the fol- 
lowing advantages over natural swarming: 

1st. The trouble and risk of swarms issuing when the bee- 
keeper is absent, or several issuing about the same time and 
clustering together or leaving for the woods, is avoided. 

2d. As soon as the stocks are in proper condition they may 
all be swarmed when most convenient and you are certain of the 
increase; but in natural swarming, only a few days of bad 
weather will frequently cause the queen cells to be destroyed and 
swarming to be postponed for weeks and often till the next 
season. « 



SWARMING IN MOVABLE-COMB HIVES. C7 

HOW TO MAKE SWARMS BY DIVIDING.'' 

We will give the principal methods for swarming bees in the 
movable-comb hive, any one of which may be used according to 
circumstances or the choice of the bee-keeper. The following 
process is the most convenient when making swarms away from 
home. Spread a sheet upon the ground, and after blowing a 
Uttle smoke into the entrance of the hive raise it carefully and 
place it upon the sheet. If it is taken any distance from the old 
stand, an empty hive should be left, to hold the returning bees. 
Also place upon the edge of the sheet your new hive, with the 
cap and frames removed, entrance closed and movable side in. 
Proceed to open the old hive ; meanwhile quieting the bees with 
your smoke. Separate the young bees from the old ones by 
shaking them from the combs upon the sheet three feet or more 
m front of the hive. When shaking a comb, hold it. perpendic- 
ular, to prevent breaking, and dislodge the bees with a down- 
ward shake. If the weather be warm and the combs new and 
tender, instead of shaking them brush off the bees with a wing 
or quiU. Keep a sharp watch for the queen by running the eye 
over each comb, both before and after shaking it. 

Do not spend much time, however, in looking for the queen, 
except to be careful not to put her into the hive which is to 
contain most of the combs. As fast as the combs are shaken, 
set them into the new hive. If the queen be found, place the 
comb upon which she rests and another comb containing honey 
in one of the hives with one-fourth of the bees, and give the 
balance of the combs and three-fourths of the bees to the other 



98 ARTIFICIAL SWARMING. 

hive. Fill the vacancies in both hives with the empty frames, 
and place the one with the queen and two combs upon the old 
stand, as enough bees will return to it from the one on the new 
stand to make the colonies about equal. But if the queen is not 
found while shaking off the bees, place the two combs (one ol 
them containing eggs and young larvae) in the old hive and put 
in the empty frames. By this time most of the old bees will 
probably have entered. When there are but three or four 
quarts left upon the sheet, place the old hive upon its own stand 
and let the young bees enter the new hive by making them 
travel, thinly, a considerable distance over the sheet, that you 
may find the queen, should she happen to be among them, and 
return her to the old hive. Contract the entrance of the new 
hive, which may now be placed in any desired location. 

Another way of making new swarms where there are several 
stocks in movable-comb hives, is to select four stocks and take 
two combs from each. Brush back all the bees into their own 
hives, that no stock be robbed of its queen. Fill the vacancies 
in each hive with empty frames, placing them near the centre, 
where they will be quickly filled. Place the removed combs 
together in an empty hive. Eemove a strong stock (in any kind 
of hive) when the leees are flj'ing briskly, and place the hive 
containing the combs on its stand. If the strong stock were 
taken a rod or two away, near the middle of the day in good 
honey gathering weather, enough bees will return to the old 
bxand to make the swarm. Contract the entrance to both hives 
for a day or two. This method has some advantages, for as each 
old stock loses but one ot two combs at a time, a new swarm 



SWAHMINQ IN MOVABLE-COM'J HIVE8. 99 

can be made from every five stocks as often as the loss is 
regained, and jet all tlie stocks, Loth old and new, be in condi- 
tion for winter, should swarming be continued past the usual 
season. Whenever the weather becomes unfavorable, or pas- 
turage seems to be faihng, swarming should be discontinued till 
honey is again plenty. 

Another method, is to take out half the combs with the bees 
adhering to them, and place them in the new hive ; put in the 
empty frames, and set the hives a foot or two apart, one on the 
right and the other on the left of the old stand. They must be 
watched an hour or two, to keep the bees about equal. If one 
hive seems to be getting more than its share, move that a little 
farther from, or the other nearer to, the old stand. A board set 
up between them and projecting a little in front will help divide 
the returning bees. If the hives are not the same color, the old 
one must be partially covered with a cloth, to change its appear- 
ance, else it will get most of the bees. If the queenless part be 
not determined by the motion of the bees, it may be known in 
two or three days by its having started queen-cells. 

If a fertile queen is not at hand for the queenless part, prevent 
the construction of much drone comb by giving it all but one or 
two of the combs. In taking them from the other hive, brush 
back all the bees, lest the queen be removed. If more stocks be 
divided in eight or ten days, a quecri-cell for each queenless part 
may be obtained from this stock. 

The queenless part of a divided stock should have the date of 
its division marked upon the hive or otherwise noted, for if a 
queen-cell was not inserted at the time of dividing, it will have 



100 ARTIFICIAL SWARMINa. 

its queeu-cells finished hj the tenth or eleventh daj, when alj 
but one snouid be destroyed or used for dividing other stocks. 
If this is not attended to, a colony will often injure itself by 
swarming, although it may have but two or three quarts of bees. 
All colonies raising queens should be carefully examined in 
about twenty-five days from the time of dividing, or if finished 
queen-cells were given them, in fifteen days, to see that they 
have a fertile queen, and if no eggs can be found in the combs 
the presumption is that some accident has happened the queen. 
If a nucleus, containing a fertile queen is at hand, introduce her. 
If neither queen nor queen-ceU can be had, give the colony a 
comb of brood and eggs taken from a hive that has a fertile 
queen. This will not only enable them to rear a queen, but the 
maturing brood will materially strengthen the swarm. "When 
dividing, care must be taken in all cases to place the combs 
containing brood or eggs, compactly together, that the bees may 
be able to cover them and prevent chilling the brood. By 
inserting a frame or two of empty comb in each new colony, the 
brood may be enclosed in smaller space and the heat economized. 
Queenless or removed colonies should have their entrances 
contracted for a few days to exclude both the cool air and 
inquisitive robber bees. In all these methods, as in natural 
swarming, we are hable to have queenless colonies by the loss 
of young queens, when making their excursions to meet the 
drones. Beside, a colony will do Httle while rearing a queen, 
which consumes much time, usually in the height of honey gath- 
ering. Hence, perfection will not be reached short of intro- 
ducing a fertile queen at the time of swarming. 



NUCLEUS SWABMING. lOl 

THE NUCLEUS SYSTEM OF SWARMING. 

" The introduction of a mature fertile queen to a colony two 
weeks sooner than when they swarm naturally, is an advantage 
sufficient to jjay for extra trouble. The time gained in breeding 
is equivalent to a swarm.^' — M. Quinby. 

In swarming bees on this system, we first rear a queen in a 
small cluster — nucleus — of bees, allowing the nucleus hive to 
remain in its place until the queen becomes fertile, when we 
swarm the bees by simply causing the two hives to exchange 
places. Unlike natural swarming, the old queen remains in the 
parent stock, and its labors go on scarcely interrupted. The 
system is based upon the well known law, that bees, after 
luxuriating upon the flowers, will return to the exact spot of 
their old habitation. 

Form a nucleus from an Itahan or other populous stock by 
blowing a few whiffs of smoke into the entrance, and opening 
\he hive, select a frame of comb containing capped brood, but 
especialy plenty of eggs and young larvae. After looking this 
over carefully, lest the old queen be removed, place it with its 
adhering bees in the empty hive, and next to it another comb 
containing honey, which will afford protection to the brood and 
food for the bees. As many of the old bees will return to the 
parent stock, give the nucleus hive at least a quart of bees and 
set it on a new stand two or three rods distant. Contract the en- 
trance so that but one or two bees can pass at the same time, and 
set a feed pan on the frames, or a sponge filled with sweetened 
water will supply their wants until the young bees go to work 



102 



NUCLEUS SWARMING. 



in their new location. In place of the combs removed from the 
parent stock, set in empty frames with a full one between. If 
the frames are put near the centre, the old stock wiU increase all 
the faster, as the queen will fill the new comb with eggs as fast 
as it is built. The removal of the two combs stimulates the 
bees to great activity by giving them room to work, and detaches 
just bees enough to prevent their clustering idlj about the en- 
trance. The nucleus will construct queen-ceUs and rear a qneeu 
as weU as a whole swarm. Beside, the queen is easily found 
among so few bees. We now wait until the tenth or eleventh 
day, from the time the nucleus was formed, when we open it, 
and, with a sharp thin bladed pocket-knife, cut out aU the queen 
cells but one, and use them immediately in forming other nuclei, 
by attaching one of them to a frame of 
comb and bees taken from an old stock, 
as before described, and placed in an 
empty hive. In transferring queen-cells 
great care must be taken not to press 
or dent them, or expose them long to 
the hot sun or cool air for fear of de- 
stroying the royal occupants. The be- 
ginner should remove but one at a time, 
returning the frame from which it ia 
taken to its place in the hive until the 
royal cell is adjusted in its new location. 
When practicable, leave about an inch 
square of comb attached to the ceU, and upon taking the comb oi 
biood from the old stock, make an opening among the eggs and 




REARING QUEENS. 103 

larvae where the bees will be sure to cluster upon it and keep it 
warm, and careftiUy insert it as shown in figure 12, leaving an 
open space below it. 

If the first nucleus was formed from the only Italian stock in 
the yard, and more queen-ceUs are Wu,nted, remove every queen- 
cell from it, and add another comb of eggs and brood from its pa- 
rent stock. But when no more queen-ceUs are needed, leave one 
to hatch, and as by this time the brood wiU all be capped over, 
the bees will be liable to foUow the young queen on her excur- 
sion to meet the drones. To prevent this, exchange one of the 
combs for one containing eggs and young larvae, when forming 
the other nuclei. Young queens will return unless lost by birds 
or other casualties, to which all queens are once exposed. Such 
loss is easily ascertained among so few bees, and we ha;ve only 
to insert another queen-ceU, adding a comb containing eggs and 
brood, and repeat the trial. Should the parent stock be very 
populous, it may be swarmed by taking a queen from a nucleus 
belonging to a less populous stock, and another queen reared 
there. 

WHEN AND HOW TO SWARM THE BEES. 

Every populous stock, from which a nucleus has been formed, 
ihould be swarmed, if the weather is favorable, as soon as th© 
queen in the nucleus has become fertile. This is, usually, in 
from six to ten days after inserting the queen-ceU, and is readily 
determined by examining the combs for eggs. We now, imlesa 
the yield of honey is very abundant, confine the young queen 



104: NUCLEUS SWARMING. 

in a gauze wiie cage. Having filled up tLe nucleus hive with 
empty frames, exchange the places of the two hives, bringing 
the entrance of the nucleus hive where the old stock has stood, 
and where the mass of the old bees will return from the fields, 
thus throwing out of the old stock swarms of workers into the 
nucleus hive, while the old bees from the nucleus will enter the 
old hive and minister to the wants of the numerous brood of the 
parent stock. The bees must not be swarmed between the hatch 
ing and fertilization of the queen, and should they be swarmed 
when the honey harvest has received a check from a storm or 
drought, the bees thus empty of honey and consequently more 
quarrelsome, being suddenly thrown into the presence of a strange 
queen (although of the same scent) are inchned to sting her. To 
prevent this she is caged for thirty-six hours, when the bees 
from the old stock will mostly have joined the nucleus colony 
and she may be safely hberated. But, if she was taken from 
another nucleus, we sometimes let her remain caged a day 
longer, or smear her well with warm honey and drop her in 
among the bees. They immediately commence Hcking up the 
honey and forget to sting her. 

If from any cause the stocks are swarmed when the bees are 
working but httle, and after three or four days the nucleus swarm 
be found deficient in bees, it may be strengthened by exchang- 
ing some of its empty frames for fi*ames of capped brood from 
the parent stock, or should the flowers yield bountiftdly within a 
week, the location of the two hives may again be exchanged. 
The bees will not quarrel as they are of the same scent, unless a 
nucleus has been formed several weeks, or when honey is scarce, 



REARING QUEEXS. 105 

it 18 sometimes necessary to treat both stocks — especially tlie old 
one — to tobacco smoke. This precaution, however, is only for 
the inexperienced, since, in the midst of the swarming season, 
when the flowers are yielding in profusion, httle protection is 
needed either for the queen or the operator. 

ADVANTAGES OF THE NUCLEUS SYSTEM. 

The superiority of this system may be seen by contrasting it 
with any other method of swarming. Unhke natural swarming, 
by this system all our new swarms have young queens, and as 
drone comb is seldom built during the first year of the queen's 
existence, we get the frames filled almost exclusively with worker 
comb. By it our stocks and colonies are never without fertile 
queens. Hence, breeding and honey gathering go on as before, 
keeping all our swarms strong and safe against moths and other 
enemies. But in natural swarming (which, if properly managed 
in movable-comb hives, is preferable to most methods) much 
time is consumed in idleness by the whole swarm rearing a queen 
in the best part of the season, besides honey gathering is nearly 
suspended for ten days after the issue of the first swarm, and no 
eggs are laid for from two to three weeks, or until the fertiliza- 
tion of the young queen, and before these mature, so great is the 
mortahty of bees at this season that the stock is sometimes lost 
from lack of bees to protect its combs. While, had it been sup- 
phed with a fertile queen, it could soon have spared another 
Ewarm^ — so incredibly fast do bees breed during the honey har- 
vest. If by the introduction of a fertile queen, " the time gained 



106 NUCLEUS SWARMING. 

in breeding is equivalent to a swarm," (and we think no close 
observer will doubt it,) then it foUows that we could swarm a 
stock twice on the nucleus system with no more risk than swarm- 
ing once naturally, or that we are as safe against poor seasons aa 
those who increase on an average but one-half annually. Yet 
as "safety and certainty" is our motto, we recommend only 
doubling the number of populous stocks, at which rate ten stocks 
would increase to one hundred and sixty in four years if every 
stock was swarmed annually, which number may be made good, 
and even a more rapid increase safely secured by using the sur- 
plus honey stored in frames, as directed under " how to stock an 
apiary." In short, by the nucleus system of swarming, the 
vexatious losses attending other methods are avoided, and the 
process is so easy and gradual that even the day-laborer or busi- 
ness man, when suppHed with hives, will find leisure time enough 
to manage quite a number of stocks "with profit and pleasure. Whilst 
beesmigbtbe managed successfully by doubling each year, more honey 
can be obtained by keeping the stocks all very strong, and only making 
one swarm from two hives. By the use of artificial comb-foundation, 
great advantage is gained. Swarms may be built up much more rapid- 
ly by giving sheets of this, and not waiting for combs to be built before 
the queen can lay eggs. Some bee-keepers have been very successful 
in rapidly increasing stocks, and each year establishing new apiaries by 
putting the extra hives out on shares to new parties. The owner gener- 
ally furnishes hives, bees, boxes, and owns all the increase. The other 
does the work and in the fall the surplus honey is divided equally. 



CHAPTER Y. 



ITALIAN BEI.S. 



Tins varieij of tlie honey bee, called also Ligurian bee, is 
found in small districts amid the Alps, embracing portions of 
Switzerland and Northern Italy. They are of a striped golden 
color, and were described by Aristotle, Virgil, and other ancient 
writers, as variegated in color, and the most valuable kind then 
known, but for centuries they were unknown outside of the dis- 
tricts above named, the surrounding mountains covered with per- 
petual snow being impassable by their wings. 

They were accidentally discovered, during the wars of Napo- 
leon, by Captain Baldenstein, who carried the first colony across 
the Alps in 1843. In 1853 they were introduced by Dzierzon into 
Germany, and into the United States in 1860. There has since 
been several importations. We were slow to believe all the 
good things said of them by German apiarians, until convinced 
of their superiority by the universal testimony of prominent 
American bee-keepers, coupled with our own experience. We 
present a few extracts. 

" We beheve that the superiority of the Itahan bee is no 
longer questionable." — California Culturist 

" All agreed as to the superiority of the Italian to the com- 
mon black bee." — From the Report of the American. Apiarian 
Convention. 



108 ITALIAN BEES. 

At the Wisconsin Bee-keepers' Convention, in. February, 
1866, the following resolution was passed unanimously: 

^^Resolvedy That the Itahap (or Ligurian) bee, fuUy sustains 
its European reputation, and this association heartily recommend 
it for general cultivation, as being more hardy, vigorous, and 
fertile, and, as a consequence, more profitable." 

" Of their superiority there can be no question." — Dr, Metcalf. 

Dr. Kirtland, of Cleveland, Ohio, says: "My colonies are 
daily watched and admired by many visitors. So far as my ex- 
perience has gone, I find every statement in regard to their 
superiority sustained. They will no doubt prove a valuable 
acquisition to locahties of high altitude, and will be peculiarly 
adapted to the climate of Washington Territory, Oregon, and 
the mountainous regions of Cahfornia." 

Mr. Langstroth says : " If we may judge from the working 
of my colonies, the Italians will fully sustain their European 
reputation. They have gathered more than twice as much honey 
as the swarms of the common bee. This honey has been chiefly 
gathered within the last few weeks, during which time the swarms 
of common bees have increased in weight but very little. The 
season here has been eminently unfavorable for the new swarms 
— one of the worst I ever knew — and the prospect now is, that 
I shall have- to feed all of them except the Itahans." 

" The great German apiarian, Mr. Dzierzon, informs us that 
bis apiaries, (now consisting of more than six hundred colonies,) 
having been thoroughly Italianized in 1858, produced him last 
year (1859) more than double the quantity of honey ever ob 



THEIB SUPEEIORITT. 109 

tamed by liim in any previous year. The season there was very 
favorable, and in the fall there was an unusual abundance of 
buckwheat pasturage in his neighborhood." — Ed. American Bee 
Journal. 

Mrs. E. S. Tupper, of Brighton, Iowa, a noted "Western 
writer on bee culture, says : "In the summer of 1863 I had but 
two Italian stocks to commence with. One of these stored one 
hundred and ten pounds of honey, besides giving me three arti- 
ficial swarms ; the other gave me two swarms and stored ninety- 
six pounds of honey; and all the swarms but one, partly fiUed 
several boxes each. I had, that same season, fifty-six colonies 
of common bees, all of which were divided, but not one of which 
stored a pound of honey, though in the same kind of hives and 
treated in a similar way with the Italians. That season it will 
be remembered was very poor. 

" In the summer of 1864, 1 averaged from nine Italian colonies 
one hundred and nineteen pounds each. The greatest yield from 
one hive was as follows : one full swarm taken from it the fif- 
teenth of May ; honey taken in boxes through the season, one 
hundred and fifty-six pounds, besides four full frames from which 
\o rear queens ; the swarm from it stored eighty pounds in a 
cap, and on the fifteenth of July threw off a very large swarm, 
which filled its hive, and stored several pounds in boxes. Thus 
we have two hundred and thirty-six pounds of box honey, be- 
sides two extra large colonies, from a single hive, not reckoning 
the frames and partially filled boxes. I do not think a colony 
of the common bee ever did as much in the best season ; if so» 
let us have the record." 



110 ITALIAN BEES. 

Having now had an experience of several years with Italian 
bees, spending mucli of our time in the apiarj, rearing queens, 
we find them to possess the following points of superiority over 
the common black bee : 

Their individual strength being greater, they fly with less 
fatigue and are more active and successful in defending their 
stores against both the moth-miUer and robber bees. They gather 
honey — especially when other sources fail — ^from iron weed, this- 
tle and other flowers which are seldom visited by the black bees, 
working quite freely upon the seed crop of red clover, when 
other late forage is cut short by drought. They also work more 
steadily during the season, even when there is but Httle honey to 
be gathered from any source, and it being a weU known fact that 
breeding keeps pace with honey gathering, the result is, strong 
stocks, which secure a large product of honey, and are proof 
against the moth-worm and poor seasons. Hence the import- 
ance of the above peculiarities cannot easily be over estimated, 
and they account in part for the following characteristic differ- 
ences between the two races of bees: 

1st. The Italian queens are called "prolific breeders," as the 
stocks breed earlier in the season and continue later, casting 
larger swarms and swarming on an average about two weeks 
earher than the black bee, thereby gaining that much time in 
the best of the gathering season, and usually swarming in sea 
sons when common bees do not. 

2d. They gather much larger stores of honey than the black 
bees, as proven by the united testimony of eminent apiarians 
both in Europe and America. 



POINTS OP SUPEKIORITT. Ill 

3d. In opening a Mv^, the Italians, when pure^ are much more 
peaceable than the black bees, and the queen is more readily found, not 
SO much on account of contrast in color as from the fact that with the 
workers she usually remains undisturbed upon the combs. 

4th. Being more constant workers, the Italians are less inclined to rob 
than the native bees. Being hardier, they are longer lived, winter more 
safely, and are moie inclined to supercede their queens when pasttheir 
prime. Hence, colonies are not so liable to become queenless, and 
queenless stocks do not so rapidly become depopulated. 

5th. Their beauty of color and graceful form render them an object 
of interest to every person of taste. Hence, they attract many visitors, 
who admire the golden hues, so beautifully shown by the sun's rays, as 
they pass swiftly to and from the hive. 

IMPOBTANCE OP NEW BLOOD IN THE APIABT. 

Whilst we fully endorse'' the great benefits resulting from the intro- 
duction of Italian bees, we doubt after years' of experience and obser- 
vation whether the benefits result so much from the superiority of the 
Italian bee itself, as from the admixture of foreign blood, thereby cor- 
recting, to a great extent the mischief that has resulted from too long 
in and in breeding. And this benefit has been due directly to the sup- 
posed, and claimed, superiority of the Italian bee, to obtain, which 
extra efforts were put forth. Many of our closest observing apiarists are 
beginning to doubt whether Italians are really so much preferable to 
hybrids, as is sometimes claimed. 

We are inclined to believe that there is great truth in the statements 
of Bev. J. W. Shearer, in our "Bee-Keepebs Magazine," of January 
last, from which we make some quotations: 

" Every farmer is well aware of the injury resulting from too close 



112 ■ ITALIAN BEES. 

breeding for successive generations among his horses, cattle or fowls; 
but no attention, or but little, was paid to this by bee-keepers, until 
very recently. In the primitive condition of our forests, and in earlier 
times, the very nature and instincts of the honey bee, prevented in- 
jury from this source. The woods had not yet been cut down, nor be- 
come familiar to the tread of man. Swarms of bees from different 
settlements, and of distinct blood, became near neighbors, as they em- 
igrated to the woods and found homes in the Hollow trees. Thus 
strengthened physically by constant foreign mixture, and stimulated by 
the great blossoms in unfelled forest trees, the westward march of the 
honey bee, in his colonization of the forests, was far more rapid than 
that of the squatter or the emigrant. Although man, the Indian, and 
the bear, attracted by the accumulated stores, proved alike — the enemy 
of the hive, the honey bee continued to thrive and increase, until under 
changed conditions, a deterioration naturally succeeded from destruc- 
tion of natural pasturage, and injury from in-and-in breeding. 

"As civilization advanced, and men owned small sections of wood- 
land every part of it became well-known to the owner or to the ubiquit- 
ous hunter. In such communities every ♦ bee-tree ' was soon marked and 
destroyed. Thus all prospects of [new blood, naturally from emigrat- 
ing swarms, was destroyed, as colonizing swarms in the woods decreased, 
either from lack of suitable trees in well settled communities, or from 
speedy destruction by those who sought their stores. 

" Superstitious notions on the part of old fashioned bee-keepers tend- 
ed greatly to augument the difficulty. If a man wished to make a start 
in bees he must either steal a hive from the nearest neighbor, or get it 
from the woods nearby, for it was generally thought the bees be moved 
but a small distance. The result was that the bees in any one vicinity 
continued to increase without new blood. In many places the distanct 



POINTS OF SUPEEIOBITY. 113 

to the nearest oee-keeper was too great for mixture in mating, or else 
the neighbors around stole a hive from the man who first started in bees. 
Thus breeding from the same stock from generation to generation, it was 
no wonder that a general complaint wan' heard: 'Father's, or grand 
father's bees used to do well here; but some how, in late years, they have 
run out' Every observing bee-keeper has met with similar experience 
in his own observations amongst ' old box hive ' bee-keepers. The im- 
portance of this subject in bee-keeping, seems fortunately to have been 
stumbled on while working for other ends. 

"Simultaneous with the introduction of movable combs, and such in- 
crease of practical knowledge as tended to advance bee-culture, the 
claim of the great superiority of the Italian bee, led to its being im- 
ported, bred, and largely desseminated. Without now entering upon 
the subject of the comparative merits of the Italian ayd native bee, it is 
enough for the present purpose, to state that we believe a great deal of 
the acknowledged good Yrom the introduction of Italian bees into 
apiaries, all over the country, comes from the introduction of new blood. 
We are satisfied that the Italian bees are, in afeveral respects, superior 
to our native bees, but not according to the apparent improvement 
when our Italian queen is introduced into, and bred from, in our 
apiary. Many men whose bees had deteriorated from in-and-in breed- 
ing, have found such superiority when an Italian was^ introduced as to 
run to the opposite extreme, of overrating these new bees. The contro- 
versy among the different apiarians at present, concerning the compara- 
tive merits of the two varieties hinges, as we believe, just on this point. 
Those who claim superiority or equality for the common bee, are par- 
ties who have, to some extent, reared Italians, or else some of their 
neighbors have had them, and thus the stock of common bees they 
have had on hand, have been improved by the new blood, which 
they do not feel is due to the Italians, because their bees are black bees, 
or merely hybrids, from black queens, and Italian drones. It is well 
known that some prominent breeders have claimed that the hybrids are, 
in many respects, superior to Italians. We believe that the ordinary 
apiarian will find it more profitable to get an Italian queen, and from 



114: ITALIAN BEES. 

her raise only queens; permitting them to mate with black drones, than 
to get both the drone and the egg for the queen from the same queen. 

QtTEEH BBABINQ. 

Pare Italian queen rearing is important to apiculture in our country, 
more for the benefit of new blood, than" because of the superiority in the 
bees themselves. But those who rear them, in order to get the best 
bees, must not continue to breed from the same queen, and her direct 
progeny, because of bright color; but must constantly introduce new 
pure Italian blood, into their breeding departments, both from abroad 
and from other apiaries in our own country^ But, for the interest in 
the Italian bee, perhaps not for a long time to come, would bee-keepers 
have learned to cage, ship, import, and introduce queens as they have, 
thus opening up a way for improvement in the bees themselves, as well 
as in modes of management for profit. The conclusion which we have 
reached on this subject is this: Encourage the Italian queen rearers, so 
that they can, and will furnish good, pure stock, and at the same time 
introduce new blood — the best blood you can get for hard work in the 
apiary. It may be that still greater results may be gotten. from intro- 
ducing, and crossing the Dalmatian, Cyprian, and Egyptian bees, with 
those we now have. Seek improvement in bees, just as in stock, by 
mixing and crossing and continuous breeding in pure strains for cross- 
ing with others. 

CHANQINa A STOCK OF COMMON BEES TO ITALIANS. 

To Italianize a colony of black bees, it is only necessary to remove 
the native queen and substitute in her place a fertile Italian queen. The 
Italian queen will commence laying almost immediately, her progeny 
beginning to hatch in about three weeks, and in from three to six months 
the whole stock will be pure Italian. The native queen is most easily 
found by opening the hive near the middle of a clear day, when many 
bees are absent in the fields. Handle the combs carefully, look- 
ing over one at a time, using the smoke sparingly, lest the queen 
be driven from the combs. It may sometimes be necessary to shake 



ITALIAN BEES. 115 

the bees upon a sheet, that the queen may be seen and aestrojed 
as she crawls toward the hive. If the Itahan queen was ob- 
tained from a distance, the box in which she was shipped should 
be opened before a window, in a closed room, that the queen be 
not lost should she fly from the box. When introducing a 
choice queen, we should run no risk of having her stung by the 
bees ; she must therefore be confined in a small wire-cloth cage, 
which should be immediately inserted near the centre of one of 
the brood combs, where the bees will cluster upon it, feeding 
the queen and keeping her warm. A drop of honey placed 
within her reach can do no harm. At the end of thirty-six hours, 
she should be liberated, smeared with honey, and allowed to 
crawl down among the bees. 

Another method is to remove the native queen, and if near 
the swarming season, look for queen cells and destroy them if 
any are found. The stock is now allowed to stand queenless 
for about ten days. Open the hive on the tenth day, at the 
farthest, and cut off all the queen cells, for if longer neglected 
a queen might hatch which would have to be hunted up and 
destroyed. The bees being now without eggs or young larvae, 
will give up all hopes of rearing a queen, and the Itahan may 
be safely introduced as before directed. In aU cases the queen 
should be well smeared with honey before she is allowed to go 
among the bees, as while cleaning off the honey they have nc 
disposition to sting, and having time to discover her rank^ re 
ceive her kindly. 

In the proper seasons a populous stock may be divided 
and an Italian queen caged and given to the queenless part. 



116 ITALIANIZING A WHO:.E APIARY. 

or a swarm may be driven from a strong stock in the box hive, 
as directed on page 60, and after returning the native queen to 
the parent stock, the ItaHan queen may be introduced to the 
swarm in the new hive. Again, a queen may be given to a 
natural swarm after hunting out the black queen. If another 
Itahan queen cannot be had, the black queen should be returned 
to the parent stock. 

ITALIANIZING A WHOLE APIARY. 

"-A man near Gotha, Germany^ purchased two stands of Ital- 
lan bees Jive years ago, and in the spring of 1866 had increased 
his number to twenty-Jive stands, not one queen of which had 
mated with the black drones, though hundreds of common colonies 
were within two miles of him. His secret is to keep his colonies 
always very strong, not aiming at a rapid increase, and making 
his swarms very early. The instinct of the Italians is to rear 
drones earlier than the other bee, and they rear brood much faster 
in the spring, so that it is safe to ^ do^ the swarming before the 
black drones appear, and thus secure the impregnation of your 
young queens by Italian drones." — Prairie Farmer. 

If the colonies are in box hives, transfer one or more strong 
stocks and obtain queens for them any time during the season 
from May to November. In order to commence with pure 
stock, the queens should be obtained from some rehable person, 
as almost every subterfuge is resorted to by unprincipled dealers 
to make the pubhc beheve that they, above all others, have the 
location for breeding pure Italians. Early the next spring, 
place drone comb near the centre of your Italian stocks, and feed 
them regularly to induce early breeding, and bring the drones 
forward several weeks before black drones appear. If youi 



ITALIAN BEES. 117 

black bees are in common bives transfer them, putting the drone 
comb in the outside frames. Should you desire to Itahanize 
stocks for neighbors, they may be brought to your yard and 
Italianized with your own. As soon as the Italian drones begin 
to hatch, form one or more strong nuclei from your best ItaHan 
stock to obtain a large number of queen-cells, ks directed on 
pages 65, 66 and 67. 

On the eighth day after forming the nuclei, examine to ascer- 
tain the number of queen-cells, and remove the black queens 
from about two-thirds as many stocks. Leave them thus over 
night to realize their loss, and then carefully insert a queen-cell 
among the brood in each stock. Mark the frames containing 
them and examine the next day, for if any are destroyed others 
must be inserted in their places. "What queen-cells remain may 
be used for other stocks, except to leave one in each nuclei to 
hatch and become fertile to supply neighbors or to be used in 
tfwarming. This method is short, but requires close attention to 
prevent some stocks from rearing black queens or becoming 
queenless. The stocks will also be somewhat weakened by 
being deprived of a laying queen even for a short time at this 
season of the year. The process will seldom be so weU managed 
but that a few black drones will be reared, hence if queens are 
not reared early the first season, some of them will be likely to 
mate with black drones, which will be known by some of their 
worker progeny having but two yellow bands and others none 
at all, while a part will have the three bands of the pure Italian. 
A. few poorly marked in any stock should not condemn it, it 
there are any hybrid stocks in the yard, as bees from different 



118 ITALIANIZING A WHOLE APfARY. 

coloiiies will mix to some extent ; but the young bees should be 
examined when just hatching from the combs, to see if all have 
the three yellow bands. If any queens are found to have mated 
with black drones, it is safest to remove them as soon as other 
queens can be reared to take their places, for although they will 
produce pure Italian drones, yet should such a stock swarm or 
vose its queen, a queen would be reared (unless prevented) from 
her hybridized eggs whose drone progeny would be impure. 

Another method preferred by some, is to Italianize all your 
own and your neighbors' stocks as far as practicable the first 
year. To do this, secure the construction ol as many queen- 
cells as possible from the brood in the ItaHan stock, and insert 
one in each nucleus. Let the queens hatch and become fertile, 
paying no attention to what kind of drones they meet. When 
fertile introduce them to the parent stocks, and rear others the 
same way before swarming. These queens, having been fertil- 
ized by black drones, their worker progeny will be hybrids, but 
their drones will be pure. The next season, all the drones in 
the apiary being pure Italians, the work is half accomphshed. 
Then rear another set of queens, one for each hive, from the 
original pure one, and there being none other but pure drones in 
the neighborhood, the young queens will seldom find black ones, 
especially if the apiary be large. 

ITALIAN QUEEN REARING. 

The superiority of Italian bees is becoming so generally 
known that there is a great and constantly increasing demand 
for queens ; hence the necessity for plain practical directions that 



ITALIAN BEES. 119 

shall insure success in rearing tliem even by the inexperienced 
bee-keeper. "We are aware that general rules have been given., 
and many nice things written, yet the practical part, upon 
which success depends, is understood by but few. We have 
already given directions for rearing queens to Italianize an 
apiary, but when desirous of engaging in their extensive proj a* 
gation, the following course should be pursued. Having Ital- 
ianized your own apiary, and all your neighbors' stocks within 
about three miles, you are fully prepared to commence the 
business of queen rearing. 

SMALL BOXES FOR THE NUCLEI. 

The small hives or nuclei boxes should be made about six 
inches square inside, and the same in depth below the rabbets, 
which should be three-fourths of an inch deep. The frames, four 
in number, are suspended upon these rabbets, their top bars 
being narrow, the same as the side and bottom bars. The mov 
able cover should be an inch larger than the top of the box, and 
clamped to prevent warping. Listing, or strips of woolen cloth, 
should be tacked all around on the under side of the cover, near 
the edge, to fit upon the top of the box and confine the heat 
generated by the bees. Before naihng the box together, a 
rabbet, five-eighths deep and two inches wide, should be cut 
across the inside of the back, and a piece tacked on the lower 
edge to hold in the tin feed trough. One end of this rabbet 
must be fiUed up and the other end covered with a flap screwed 
to the outside of the hive. 

This flap is to be turned to admit of drawing out and filhn^ 

Note.— We now use only large hives for queen rearing, having discarded the 
small boxes. 



120 ITALIAN QUEEN REARING. 

the pan when necessary to feed, and when the bees arc to be 
confined to the hive, turn the other end of the flap, which should 
have a hole in it covered with wire-cloth, to give ventilation. 
The boxes should be painted a variety of bright colors — some 
white, others red, blue, &c. — and scattered over the yard so that 
a young queen may easily distinguish her hive from any other 
near it. A cheap stand is made by naihng strips of board for 
posts to each corner of a bottom-board eighteen or twenty inches 
square. The posts should project eight inches below the bottom 
board, for legs, and two of them sixteen and two eighteen inches 
above it, laying on a board for shade. We make the small 
frames the proper size to fit four of them into one of the large 
frames, and thus obtain brood from any hive by filling the small 
frames with thin worker-comb, or sticking in small pieces and 
allowing the bees to build the combs. We prefer, however, to 
have one or more breeding hives made the same as the small 
hives, but long enough to hold sixteen of the small frames, and 
having several entrances along the front side. 

HOW TO COMMENCE QUEEN REARING. 

• As soon as drones can be reared in the spring, break up the 
stock from which you wish to breed, and transfer the combs into 
the small frames, placing them on the old stand in one of the 
long breeding hives. Shake the bees upon a sheet near the 
entrance, and as fast as tney enter and collect on the combs they 
may be hfted out and placed in the nuclei boxes, giving a frame 
of brood and one of honey to each, and filhng the other two 
frames with empty comb. 



ITALIAN BEES. 121 

Each nucleus should have about one quart of bees, which must 
be closed in, laying a rough board on the top and turning the 
flap to give ventilation. To prevent them from returning to 
their old stand, they must remain closed in for about thirtj-sLs 
houra, when the entrance should be opened at sunset, the venti 
lator turned, and the regular cover put on to retain the heat. If 
bees for the nuclei are taken from a natural swarm, or brought 
from the distance of a mile, they need only be confined until 
sunset. About three quarts of bees must be left with the old 
queen in the breeding hive, and it may be necessary to place 
upon it the cap of the old hive that the bees may recognize their 
old location and not enter other hives. If queen-cells are at 
hand, one should be inserted when forming each nucleus ; but if 
none can be had, leave all the nuclei until the tenth day, when 
more nuclei may be formed and a queen-cell for each taken from 
those first formed, leaving but one in each nucleus. Examine the 
nuclei often after queen-cells are inserted, as some cells may be 
destroyed or prove worthless and others be needed in their 
places. Afl soon as any nucleus hatches its queen, one of its 
empty combs should be exchanged for a frame of brood in the 
maggot state fi-om the breeding hive. This will stimulate the 
queen to make her excursion to meet the drones and prevent the 
bees from following her^ in which case, unless discovered, they 
would be lost. The brood, if supplied often, will also keep up 
the strength of the nuclei. It will be found convenient to have 
a piece of slate or board attached to each nucleus upon which to 
record its condition. When a queen becomes fertile, it will b« 
known by eggs being found in the brood combs. 



12:! ITALIAN QUEEN REAEINa. 



SHIPPI250 QUEENS. 



The simplest way to send queens is by mail, in a small wooden queen- 
cage, containing sugar candy poured when hot in one end for food. It 
is best to enclose twenty or twenty-five workers with her. Such queen 
cages are made by boring one and one-half inch auger holes nearly 
through a plank one and one-fourth inches thick and cutting into blocks 
two inches square. A small auger hole for an entrance on one edge, 
stopped with cork, and a wire cloth tacked orer the hol« completes it. 
We hare sent queens by mail successfully to the Bandwich Islands. 
Sometimes it may be preferred to send queena with comb and brood in 
nucleus boxes by express. If so, one small frame of bees and honey is 
sufB.cient. Fasten it securely, so as to prerent possible injury, and give 
good ventilation, (with opening, covered with wire cloth). 



Except where queen rearing is followed as a business, we recommend 
using only full sized frames for nucleus hives. They are then exchang- 
able at any time, and may be used for full colonies in winter. 

When small frames are used the outsid* of each thould be a certain 
proportion of the inside of the full frame, so as to be used within it 
when desired for placing m the full hive. 

Whenever there is a scarcity of honey in the flowers, it will be 
necessary to feed some of the nuclei, especially those having unfertile 
queens or young brood, and those constructing queen-cells. Also the 
breeding hives, as it is sometimes necessary to keep the bees continual- 
ly building comb in order to induce the queen to rear much brood. 

A regular supply of queen-cells may be had every five days 
by having two queenless stocks, and inserting in them alternately 
every fifth day, comb containing eggs and larvas taken from any 



ITALIAN BEES. 123 

stock from which you may wish to breed. The queen-cells must 
be removed by the tenth day from the time the brood was 
inserted, lest a queen should hatch and destroy all the other cells 
in the hive. If the comb containing eggs and larvsa for queen, 
cells be new, more cells will be built. Before inserting it in the 
queenless stock it should be cut in strips an inch wide by three 
inches long. To insert one of these strips, make an opening in 
the comb three inches long by one inch deep, and directly under 
this cut out a piece two-and-a-half inches long by one inch deep, 
which will give room for lengthening down the cells, and also 
leave a shoulder to support each end of the strip. As fast as 
the cells are used other strips may be inserted in the same open 
ings. A queen is seldom injured while caged if the wire-cloth 
be neither coarser nor finer than fifteen or twenty meshes to the 
inch. The cage is sometimes made by winding a piece of wire- 
cloth around the thumb and stopping the ends with corks, but 
we prefer them made about three-eighths of an inch deep, nail- 
ing the edges of the wire-cloth to a wooden bottom. When 
introducing a queen, the cage is sometimes suspended in the hive 
by a wire between two combs, but the safety of the queen is bet- 
ter secured by inserting the cage in a comb near the brood, with 
room above for the bees to hover upon it. 

By making and keeping stocks queenless, and feeding them 
when necessary, drones are retained for fertihzing queens late in 
the fall. By inducing the bees in such stocks to cluster outside, 
either by contracting the space inside, or leaning a piece of comb 
filled with capped brood against the entrance, drones will collect 
to such hives by thousands. 



CHAPTER VI. 



THE APIARY. 



In selecting a site for an apiarj, we prefer to liave the ground 
deocend slightly to the east or south. The hives should be pro- 
tected in winter and spring from the prevailing winds, either by 
buildings, trees, fences or other breakwind. Although we 
prefer, when convenient, to have our hives front the east or 
south, it ia of Httle consequence as far as the prosperity of the 
bees is concerned. The hives should be sheltered from the rays 
of the noonday sun, except in April and May, when much 
warmth is needed to promote breeding. Care should be taken 
not to place hives against old buildings or fences, which form a 
congenial harbor for bugs, spiders, ants and other insects. Each 
stock should have a separate stand, and there is no danger of 
getting the hives too far apart. It is most convenient to have 
the hives near the ground. From five to ten mches is High 
enough for stands if means are taken to keep down the grass 
and weeds. A cheap and good stand is made by taking two 
pieces of four inch scantling fifteen inches long, and naihng upon 
them a board twenty inches long by fifteen wide. If a higher 
stand be preferred, take, instead of the scantling, two pieces of 
joist two inches by six, or four pieces if board may be nailed 



THE APIART. 125 

together wiin a fifth one across the top, forming an inverted box. 
These stands oeing movable, the stocks are less liable to be 
crowded, and when most convenient may be placed in an orchard, 
as there should be low topped trees and shrubs near the hives, 
both for shade and for swarms to cluster upon. The hives 
should also be in full view from the most frequented part of the 
house, that swarms may be heard and seen as they rise, with the 
leasft possible trouble. 

LARGE APIARIES. 

In choosing a location for a large apiary, the pasturage 
afforded by the neighborhood should receive attention — such as 
white clover, orcharding, forest trees, &c. If this be satisfac 
tory it will pay well to go to some expense in fitting up a bee 
yard. One hundred stocks conveniently arranged, will need 
little more attention than ten managed in the ordinary way. If 
the situation be a windy one, a yard should be enclosed for the 
purpose. Let the fence, especially on the north and west sides, 
be about seven feet high, and tight if practicable. This will not 
only be a great protection in winter, but will break off the cold 
raw winds of spring, and thus save the hves of thousands of 
industrious workers that would otherwise be blown to the ground 
and perish at the very threshhold of their homes. Stands 
should next be attended to. These should be a few feet away 
from ine fence to give room for passing behind the hives. An 
excellent arrangement for stands is to set two rows of short 
posts, of some durable kind of wood, letting them project but 
6 ur or five inches above the ground. Upon these, lay scantliug 



IQ*^ BEE-UOUSES. 

or ^mall timber, forming two parallel lines about iourteen inches 
apart. Cut bottom-boards twenty inclies long by fifteen wide, 
and lay them across and on the top of the scantling, observ- 
ing the proper spaces between the hives. Next, procure saw- 
dust or spent tan, and fill up under the scanthng and around 
the posts. This will effectually keep down the grass and weeds, 
keep the hiv6s clean, and prevent the frost from heaving up the 
posts. A shed should also be erected over the hives, both for 
shade and shelter from storms. In whatever style this is put 
up, it should be but five or six feet high, and open all around, 
so as in no way to interfere with working around the hives. 
The roof need be but four or five feet wide, and should slope 
toward the front of the hives. If there be no water convenient, 
a supply should be fiirnished the bees during warm, dry weather. 
It should be pumped or poured into a shallow trough containing 
small stones or shavings, for the bees to alight on, and changed 
often. 

BEE-HOUSES. 

Of bee-houses we deem it hardly necessary to speak. They 
are regarded as unprofitable by our best apiarians. Some of the 
objections are, cost of construction, danger of crowding hives 
too 'close, and consequent loss of young queens when returning 
from their nuptial excursions, and lack of a firee circulation of 
air in summer. Beside, they afford numerous crevices and 
lurking places for moths, spiders, roaches, and other "unclean 
birds." 



THE APIARY. 127 

HOW TO PROCURE BEES TO STOCK AN APIARY. 

First, hy Purchasing Bees. 

Old stocks in box hives may be purchased and transferred 
mto movable-comb hives. "We prefer those not over three or 
four years old, that have cast swarms (and with them their old 
queens) the year before, unless the black queens are soon to be 
destroyed, and the stocks Italianized. 

Smoke and examine them. If in the spring, they will, of 
course, be less populous than in the faU, yet bees should be clus- 
tered between most of the combs. The combs should be free 
from mold, and are easier transferred if in broad sheets. The 
less drone comb the better, and the more honey there is, the 
more you will have left for the table after transferring. "We 
have transferred stocks from large box hives, giving them an 
abundance of honey, beside leaving out enough to amount in 
value to the purchase price of the stock. But if stocks that are 
not to be transferred, have, in the spring, from twelve to twenty 
pounds of honey, they will usually swarm earlier and be more 
prosperous than heavier ones, as large quantities of honey, at 
this season, only take up room that should be occupied with 
young brood. Probably the best stocks to purchase, are second 
swarms of the year before, provided the hives are full or nearly 
full of comb. Such stocks have young queens, and the comb 
cells are the small size proper for rearing workers, as drone comb 
is seldom built during the first year of the queen's existence. 
But if your hives are left to be filled with new swarms, take 
^rst swarms by all means, being careful to get, if possible, those 



128 HOW TO PROCURE BEES. 

from hives that have swarmed the year before, as sucii will have 
vigorous queens but one year old. We could not advise the 
purchase of second swarms at the time of their issue, unless 
early and of fair size, for except in good seasons, many fail to 
secure sufficient stores for winter. 

In purchasing bees care must be taken in removing them home. It 
should be only early in the morning or late in the evening if warm, else 
many active workers will be lost. A new swarm having tender comb 
filled with honey should not be moved, for such comb will be apt to 
break down. 

By Taking Bees on Shares. 
Bees are sometimes taken on shares for a term of years, the 
person taking them finding hives and getting half the increase 
and honey, or more, when transferred into movable-comb hives 
and Italianized. 

By Capturing Fugitive Swarms. 
'We once bought twenty stocks, at five dollars each, of a man 
who got his start by finding a swarm hanging to a bush. Fugi- 
tive swarms may often be brought down by throwing dirt among 
the advance guards, or by getting in the proper position and 
reflecting the rays of the sun upon them from a looking-glass. _ 

By a Safe Increase of Stocks. 

After a few stocks have been obtained, by any of the forego- 
ing methods, by far the cheapest way to stock an apiary, is to 
increase the number of stocks by nucleus swarming, and obtain- 
ing bees gratis of neighbors, by taking up their condemned 



THE APIARY. 129 

stocks in the fall. Such swarms are taken home and supplied 
with frames of honey. 

By using Surplus Honey Stored in Frames. 

Our best apiarians all agree upon one thing, which is, that 
bees will store more honey in the body of the hive than they 
will in top boxes. For this reason, and the advantages in sup- 
plying needy stocks for winter, we prefer to have a part of the 
surplus stored in frames. Whenever honey is taken from the 
hive, it should be set into boxes or hives, and taken to a dark 
ropm and kept until fall, when some may be needed in preparing 
stocks for winter. Some should also be kept on hand for emer- 
gencies, and the rest may be sold or used in making new colonies 
with bees obtained 

By Taking up Light Stocks for Neighhors. ' 

There are enough in almost any community who are so far 
behind the age as to hive their late swarms in box hives without 
uniting them. These and other light stocks they brimstone in 
the fall, unless they can get the " bee man " to take them up for 
the bees. Every bee-keeper whose apiary is not fiiUy stocked, 
and all who wish to make the most money out of their surplus 
honey, should prepare to take as many such swarms as they can 
supply with frames of honey to winter upon. The process 0/ 
taldng up a swarm is nearly the same as for transferring. Have 
a small box with a hole in each side covered with wire-cloth for 
ventilation. As each comb is taken out brush the bees to the 
entrance of the box, and when all are in close it up. As it does 



130 HUNTING WILD BEES. 

not paj to winter small swarms, we usually put two or mere to- 
gether, and if no queens were removed all but one will be killed. 
The empty combs are valuable to use in honey boxes and frames 
in the body of the hive, and may be purchased at the market 
price of beeswax. Fasten them into frames with melted rosm, 
and use them to fill out the hives after giving each swarm four 
or five combs of honey. If this be not done the space should 
be contracted by inserting a partition board or a frame with 
a cloth tacked upon it. Each swarm should also have some bee- 
bread, which may be got by exchanging with old stocks. 

HUNTING WILD BEES. 

"We have known many persons to get a start by lining wild 
bees to their trees, which, if cut in spring or summer, the bees 
will do well. Transfer them with their combs into movable 
frames, the same as from a common hive. We have cut trees 
where the bees entered seventy or eighty feet from the ground, 
with no small timber to break their momentum in falling, and 
yet saved the swarms. After a tree has been cut and the swarm 
hived, bees from neighboring swarms will soon appear, to take 
charge of the waste honey, and if more wild swarms are in the 
vicinity, which is usually the case, they are easily followed 
home. By taking lines from the different trees as they are cut, 
several may often be found within the circuit of a half mile. 
Bees are found with the least trouble in February or March, 
when they fly out on the first warm days, and some becoming 
chilled fall upon the snow. Lines taken from buckwheat and 
other flowers should be carefully marked, and if not traced up 



THE APIARY. 131 

at tlie time, may be found towards spring "by the dead bees on 
the snow. When a tree is found, cut upon the bark, (in the 
least conspicuous place,) your initials, with date of finding, and 
let it stand until drones appear in May, when, if the queen 
^should be killed in falling the tree, there will be eggs in the 
combs from which to rear another, and drones for her fertihza- 
tion. When hJb bees are at work upon the flowers a Kne may 
be started by taking a plate or a piece of board, upon which is 
a small piece of comb filled with diluted honey. You will also 
need a glass tumbler and a piece of brown paper or dark colored 
cloth. Having found a bee upon a Cower, place over it the 
tumbler and leave it inverted upon the cloth till the bee rises to 
the top. "Wait till it quits buzzing, (that it may not get be- 
smeared with the honey,) then carefully raise the tumbler and 
place it over the honey on the plate, wrapping the cloth around 
the upper part of the tumbler to darken it. The bee will de- 
scend toward the light, when, coming in contact with the honey 
it will commence loading* up. Gentl}' remove the tumbler while 
the bee is at work, and stepping back a few feet, place your eye 
near the ground. With the clear sky for a background it is 
easy to keep sight of the bee as it rises, describing several cir 
cles at first, then striking a "bee-line," for home. It soon re 
turns with many others. When a strong hne has got to work, 
cover the bees with the tumbler, and moving them along the linf 
towards the tree again hberate them. Care must be taken nol 
to go beyond the tree, else the bees may not return. If the tree 
is now supposed to be near, mark the line of bees by / ^tting an 
assistant stf-ik, in range, a few stakes. .Again cove' 'he beea 



132 HUNTING WILD BEES. 

upon the plate and carry them a few rods away from the line o 
order to get a cross line. Mark this also with stakes, then run 
out both lines by sticking more stakes, and the tree will be found 
where the lines meet. To find the place where the bees enter 
the tree, w^alk slowly backward and forward in its shadow so as 
to bring every point of its body and large branches in range 
between the eye and the sun. Look at the sides of the tree and 
outwardly, just below the sun, where the bees are easily seen and 
appear quite large from the reflection of the sun's rays upon 
their wings. A spy-glass is a great aid when the bees enter 
high up in the tree. In the fall or early spring, when the trees 
are bare of leaves, it is easiest following lines and finding the 
place of entrance in the tree. With a little honey or dissolved 
sugar for a Z>atY— which, if not poured into comb, must contain 
some floating substance to keep the bees from drowning — ^lines 
are readily started from "sugar camps," or moist places, outlets 
of springs, &c., where the bees come for water. In the gather- 
j]ig season it is sometimes difficult to get bees to work upon the 
bait unless new honey be used, taken directly from the hive. 
The honey, if not very thin, must be diluted with water, else 
the bees may not leave directly for home. To attract the bee.s, 
choose the middle of a warm sianny day, and going into the edge 
of a field or other open place as near the supposed locahty of 
the wild swarm as possible, burn a piece of dry comb or bees- 
wax upon which a httle oil of anise has been dropped. In half 
an hour or so the bees will come following along the hne of 
smoke, where the bait should be placed, scented also with anise 
oil ^-0 aid the bees in finding it. The bees from the richest tree 



THE APIARY. 133 

are not the most hungry, but fly cautiously and angrily about 
before alighting. If the bees are got properly to work, one or 
more swarms may often be found, which, if transferred into 
hives will be a valuable acquisition, but are too often thought 
lessly destroyed for their stores alone. 

HOW TO TRAP WILD BEES OR ROBBERS. 

"We give this method more especially for pioneers m a new 
country, for although a part of a swarm or swarms of fugitive 
or wild bees may be easily trapped without finding the tree, by 
getting them to work upon a bait, yet if other bees are at work 
within reach there is no way to prevent catching them also, even 
though they lelong to your own or your neighbors^ apiary. Af^er 
getting into the supposed vicinity of wild bees, and a mile or 
more from any apiary, get the bees at work upon a bait by 
either of the methods given. Remove the cap and frames from 
the American Hive and place in it the bait containing plenty of 
honey, with the bees upon it. Close the entrance, leaving open 
the two fly-holes above it. Set another hive upon the top of 
this one, having first bored a hole in its bottom for the bees to 
pass up through. This hole may be covered with a shde to be 
worked through a hole in the side of the hive. The hive should 
also have wire-cloth tacked over its top and the cap left ofi*, as 
in moving bees. After a strong line of bees have got at work, 
going and returning, close one of the fly-holes of the lower hive 
and. insert in the other a tin tube about six inches long. The 
outer end of the tube should not project beyond the front board, 



134 TRAPPING WILD BEES. 

and should fit the hole to exclude the light. The inner end 
reaching to the centre of the hive should have a valve of hght 
wood or paper hung to its upper side to cover the end. Open 
the door to the observation glas?, and when enough bees have 
irowded into the hive to co-^er the glass, close the door and 
allow them to pass into th** upper hive, which should be pre- 
pared to receive a swarra ^rith frames in place, honey for tood, 
and comb with eggs, ^r^m which to rear a queen, unless a tertile 
queen can be giver it, caged, as in nucleus swarming. The 
piece of comb wi^h eggs may be brought in a small box, with 
bees to keep them warm until needed. As often as the bees be- 
come thick upon the observation glass, close the door and draw 
the shde from the hole above, when the bees seeing the light 
will ascend into the upper hive. Should the bees cease coming 
before a good swarm is taken, open the other fly-hole near the 
tube and let some out till a strong line is again formed, being 
careful to have the slide cover the hole in the bottom of the 
upper hive whenever light is admitted mto the lower one. A 
moderate sized swarm may often be taken without using the 
upper hive. Afler removing the hive to the apiary, let it stand 
closed till halt an hour before sunset on the third day, when the 
queen must be uncaged and the bees allowed to fly. If no 
queen were given them, the hive should be opened in about three 
weeks, and the drone comb removed from the centre, if there 
be time to collect stores for winter, otherwise it should be left 
till spring. 



THE APIARY. 135 



MOVING BEES. 



Wlien moving stocks short distances, or only tc difforcnt 
stands in the the same apiarj, it should be done during a cold 
spell in wmter or early spring, before the bees have fully takep 
their location. 

If they are to be moved a mile or more, it may be done, witk 
prop'er precautions, at any time of the year. The stocks to be 
moved should be prepared early m the morning or when the 
bees are not flying. To prepare a stock in a common hive, blow 
in a httle smoke and carefally hfting the hive invert it upon the 
ground. Have ready tour small strips ot soft wood and a square 
piece ot wire-cloth, or coarse cotton or hnen, large enough to 
cover the mouth oi the hive. Spread the cloth over the mouth 
ot the hive, lay on the strips, and tack through the strips into 
the edges ot the hive. These strips will save tacks and prevent 
the bees crowding out under the cloth. A sleigh, buggy, or 
spring wagon, is the best lor moving bees, yet, with careful 
driving, they may be moved on a wagon without springs. Place 
the hives in the wagon upon a bed of straw, keeping them 
mouth up to secure ventilation, as bees need much air whenever 
disturbed. Beside, m this position the combs rest upon their 
attached portions and are less liable to break by jolting. If the 
weather be very warm use the wire-cloth to confine the beea, 
and keep the hives shaded from the sun. In most movable- 
comb hives, strips must be tacked across the frames to keep 
them from swinging together. To prepare a stock in the Amer 
ican Hive, simply remove the cap and tack the cloth or wiie- 



136 TRANSFERRING. 

cloth over the top. Drive upon a walk. New swarms may be 
brought home in a box in the cool of the evening after their 
issue, but if hives are left for them, and they are allowed to start 
new combs, great care must be used, if moved before the combs 
are finished. 

TRANSFERRING BEES AND COMBS FROM THE BOX HIVE. 

The best time to transfer bees into the movable-comb hive, is 
from the appearance of the fruit-tree flowers until swarming. 
During this season, when the bees are gathering honey, the 
beginner may safely undertake the operation, as the bees will 
promptly repair the combs and often be more prosperous than 
before. They may be transferred earlier, if carefully done, or 
indeed at any time, if the brood is not chilled by exposure to 
the cool air. Yet nothing is gained by disturbing bees in cold 
weather, neither is it safe to transfer for three weeks after a 
stock has swarmed, in which time its queen will generally have 
oecome fertile. But when a second or third swarm can be hived, 
and set close to the old stock, it is then quite free from bees, and 
may be transferred with but little trouble, and the swarm jarred 
from its hive and united with the transferred stock, making a 



13. Tmnuferring tools. The hook is to loosen the combs from the top of the hive or ffum, whe i the ftliis 
10 not pried off. The other.is made of a piece of hoop-iron, (2 inches wide by 20 inches long) by e^Tiuding tb« 
and bev«lllDg like a chisel, and is used to loosen the combs from the sides of tne hive. 

good job. Or when an Itahan queen is to be introduced, six or 
seven days after a stock has cast a first swarm, the old stock may 



THE APIARY. 137 

be transferred and all the queen-cells destroyed, when the stock 
is ready for the Italian queen. The tools needed, beside those 
shown in the cut, (fig. 13,) are a hammer and stout chisel for 
prying off one side of the hive, and a long-bladed knife for cut- 
ting out the combs. 

OPERATION. 

Prepare the frames in the new hive, by prying off most of the 
comb-guides, and letting down the cross-bars to suit the size oi 
the combs. After smoking the stock to be transferred, invert it 
in the shade, and, keeping the bees down with your "smudge,'' 
cut out a small piece of comb, containing brood, to place in an 
empty box or hive upon the old stand. Also, if other stocks 
are close, partially cover them to keep out returning bees. Our 
common practice (if in warm weather) is to drum the bees from 
the stock to be transferred, proceeding the same as in driving out 
a swarm, (page 57,) until the bees have ascended into the drum 
box, when it is removed and a cloth tacked over it, and left 
mouth up in the cool shade until needed. We now remove the 
old hive into a sheltered place, or, if flowers are scarce and other 
swarms near by, into a sh^, out-house, or upon a clean barn- 
floor. Now drive- out the cross-sticks, and with the hoop-iron 
sever the attachments of comb from the side of the hive upon 
which the combs run nearest parallel and can be most easily 
removed. Pry off the side of the hive with the chisel, cutting 
the nails if necessary, and commence cutting out th(^ combs. 
Have a box, half the width of the hive, in which fastex2 some 
firone brood, and place it upon the opposite side of the hiv« ^om 

Note. — We have found it most convenient to use fine wire for fastenina; id fiie 
<*on!t>ft. 



138 TRANSFERRING- 

which the combs are to be removed. The bees will gather into 
this as the work progresses. Lay a board upon a barrel, for a 
table, and upon this jour transferring board, (18 inches long by 
14 wide,) upon which two or three thicknesses of woolen cloth 
sliould be tacked. As each comb is cut out, brush off the strag 
gli ug bees, lest they get besmeared, and lay it upon ihis cushion, 
and upon it your frame. Mark inside the frame, and trim off 
the comb in such a manner, that when fitted into the frame, it 
shall remain in about the same position (top edge up) that it 
occupied in the old hive, as many of the cells incline upward. 
Cut the comb a trifle large, and spring the frame 07er it. Fit in 
all pieces of good worker comh, even if old and black. Combs 
too thick to let the frames together, should be shaved off. The 
drone comh may be known by its large coarse cells, and unless 
placed in the upper part of the outside frames, should be rejected, 
by which a stock will often be rendered very prosperous that 
was no profit to its owner before. When transferred in the 
spring, no more honey need be put into the new hive than is 
necessary to secure all the worker comb, but if transferred late, 
plenty of honey should be given. As melted rosin or bits of 
tin are insufficient for fastening heavy^combs into the fi'ames, we 
use strips of wood, one-fourth of an inch thick by three-eighths 
wide. One of these slats is pushed under the comb, another 
laid on top, and the ends looped together with twine. Raise the 
end of the cushion-board, to bring the comb to an upright posi- 
tion,, and set it into the new hive, which should be kept covered 
lo exclude stranger bees. Care must be taken to place all combs 
containing brood or eggs, together in the centre, with the store 



THE APIARY. 139 

combs next to the outside. If a comb be too weak to sustain iti3 
weight, it must be divided in the middle, and the upper half 
supported by a cross-piece tacked within the frame. 

If the air be cool, the bees in the small box set upon the hwe, 
will be needed to keep the brood warm in the new hive, and may 
be shaken into it when only two or three frames have been 
filled, but in warm weather, we usually transfer all the comba 
before hiving the bees. If there be much honey in the combs, 
it is well to place a shallow pan — made for the purpose — ^beneath 
the frames, to catch the drippings. If this be not done, clean 
off the bottom-board with a wet cloth. Cover the upward pas- 
sages to keep the bees below, and bringing the drum box, shake 
the bees on a sheet at the entrance of the hive, (being careful 
not to jar the combs,) gently brushing them until all have 
entered. Keep the hive in a vertical position, and carry it 
steadily (without the cap) to the original stand. Blow a little 
smoke under the box left to hold the returning bees, and, if 
Qumerous, jar them upon a sheet in front of the hive. Replace 
the cap, contract the entrance, and shade the hive from the sun. 

When the bees are gathering but httle honey, and there is no 
out-building into which the stock may be taken afler drumming 
out the bees, place a board upon a sheet, and upon it your drum 
Dox, and cut out all the combs before transferring them into the 
frames. As the combs are removed, one by one, brush off the 
bees upon the sheet, and let them enter the drum box, while an 
assistant immediately carries the comb into the house, placing it 
upon a few thicknesses of rags. As soon as the bees have 
entered the drum box, set it upon the original stand, and let it 



140 ROBBING. 

remaiu until the combs are transferred into the new hive. Then 
hive the bees as directed. In this way, there is little danger of 
robbers, or losing the queen, and the brood is not liable to be 
cliiiled in the warm room. Late in the season, when the bees 
are rich in stores, and consequently harder to control, the begin- 
ner may sprinkle a few grains of tobacco upon his rags for 
smoke, being careful to subdue the bees at the start. If the 
flowers are not yielding a supply, feed the scraps of honey to the 
stock the next morning, placing them in the chamber of the 
hive, as much honey is consumed in elaborating wax to repair 
the combs. In four or five days after the transfer, the tempo- 
rary slats are to be removed, and any crooked comb straightened. 
For convenience, we fasten a permanent loop to one end of a 
slat, and a piece of wire to the other end. The other slat is lefl 
smooth, with one end slightly sharpened, to push under the 
comb when the looped slat is laid on, and the loop slipped over 
the sharpened end of the under one. Give a twist to the wire 
at the other end, and the comb is secured. The slats are 
removed by drawhig the smooth one out of the loop, which 
loosens the other, and both are drawn out. These slats may be 
used many times over, and will last for years. 

ROBBING. 

• 

Early in the spring when few flowers have appeared, and afler 
they fail in the fall, or indeed in any time of scarcity, weak and 
queenless swarms are apt to be troubled by robbers. Yet the 
prudent bee-keeper, by caring for such stocks in time, will avoid 
the danger. "When flowers are scarce, expose no sweets near 



THE AFIARY. 141 

tlie apiary while the bees are flying, as " prevention is better 
than cure." Robbers may be known by their buzzing around 
ihe hive in a very suspicious manner. Should one alight, he is 
hurled from the entrance and frequently receives the fatal sting 
As long as this state of things continues and the attacked col 
ony is prompt in defending itself there is Httle danger, but should 
the robbers gather about the entrance in considerable numbers, 
they may be dispersed, for the time, by sprinkHng with cold 
water ; but if the attacked colony be very weak, or not discov- 
ered until resistance has ceased, it should be closed (ventilating 
well) and either taken from home until the danger is past, or 
carried to the cellar or a cool room, and fed diluted sweet for 
three or four days. When again placed upon the stand, the en- 
trance should be carefully guarded. If a half inch block be 
placed upon each side of the entrance and a piece of lath or 
shingle laid across, robbers will be cautious about entering the 
shallow passage. A short board leaned against the front of the 
hive, IS also an excellent protection. Should it happen that a 
powerful stock from a neighboring forest attacks a colony, re 
move it as before, and trap the robbers as directed for capturing 
wild bees. A handful of long grass laid over the entrance, will assist a 
weak stock. The robbers get entangled in it and are more easily driven 
away, A piece of glass leaned against the hive over the entrance will 
often check their depredations. In either case it is best to contract the 
entrance so as to admit but a single bee at a time, and elevate the rear 
of the hive, so as to give the attacked bees the advantage of an inclined 
bottom board. * 



142 DESTROYING MOTH-MILLERS. 



THE MOTH-MILLER. 





"We regard the fear entertained of the moth-miller as misdi- 
rected and more imaginary than real. As long as a stock is 
strong and in good condition it is safe, but should it be suffered 
to decline from over-swarming, loss of queen, or other cause, 
the eggs of the miller are allowed to hatch in the exposed 
combs, and as the bees die off from natural causes the moth- 
worms increase, and (if not dislodged) finally gain entire pos- 
session. The female miller is much 
larger than the male, and resembles 
in color a sliver from a weather fe=^^^^ 
beaten fence rail. During the day, 15. Male, 
she may often be found sticking about the cover 
14. Female. of the Hvo. Toward evening, she will be flitting 
about the entrance, and if the combs are not covered with bees, 
or cracks and crevices can be found, or litter is retained on the 
bottom-board, she will be at no loss for a place to deposit her 
eggs within the hive. There can be no "moth-proof" hive ; but 
if the entrance be on one side only, and the bottom-board is in- 
clined, the bees have all the protection against these intruders 
that a hive can afford. Moth-proof hives (so called) are owned 
either by persons of httle information, or sold to such by un- 
principled venders, as well informed bee-keepers know how to 
prevent the ravages of the moth, and also know that in warm 
weather, more or less moth eggs are present in all the combs. 
Hence, a real moth-proof hive must also exclude the bees. Bur- 
mg the summer months, if a mixture of vinegar and water, well 



THE APIARY. 143 

sweetened, be placed at niglit among the hives, in white dishes, 
many millers will be drowned. Moth "traps " form the basis of 
a considerable trade. Some of these might be well enough ii 
they were empted and the worms destroyed . every week; but 
as they are usually neglected, they become "moth nurseries," 
instead of traps. • 

"Worms may be trapped early in the season, by laying pieces 
of shingle or split elder, the hollowing side down, upon. the bot- 
tom-board. The worms will retreat under these to spin their 
cocoons, and must be destroyed once or twice a week, or they 
" take unto themselves wings and fly away." The moth is less 
troublesome in large apiaries. The sprightly httle wren, if en- 
couraged to build its nest near {he hives, will destroy myriads 
of worms and insects. They are easily attracted, by putting up 
boxes made three inches square, with an inch and a half hole 
for an entrance. 

ANTS AND OTHER VERMIN. 

Ants will frequently get into the chamber of the hive if not 
properly constructed, and whenever disturbed are very annoying 
to both the bees and the keeper. To hamsh them from the hive 
start them out with smoke and brush a little spirits of turpen- 
tine where they "most do congregate," and should they have a 
hillock near treat it a few times to warm soapsuds^ and the ants 
will bid you a long adieu. If spirits of turpentine be not at 
hand, the leaves of catnip, tansyor black walnut, placed in their 
"retreats," will usually drive them away. Spiders often spin 
their webs about the hives and ensnare some bees. They sliould 



144 PRESERVING HONEY COMBS 

beliunted out and destroyed. Tlie large mother wasps appeal 
singlj earl J in the spring to start their nests, and each, if not 
prevented, is destined to be the parent of a little swarm. They 
often harass the bees, and should have no quarter. At the ap- 
proach of winter, the mice may seek a nesting place in the warm' 
hive. If there are holes large enough to admit them, they 
should be contracted or covered with wire-cloth. 

TO PRESERVE HONEY COMBS FROM THE MOTH-WORM. 

As long as honey combs remain under the protecting care of 
the bees, they are secure, but if removed from the hive in the 
heat of summer, the eggs of the moth already upon them will 
hatch, unless prevented, and finally destroy them. How the 
eggs get there, is a question. One theory is, that they are 
deposited by the miller upon the bottom-board and about the en- 
trance, and occasionally adhering to the feet or legs of the bees, 
are thus carried among the combs. The other is, that the miller 
is allowed at times to visit every part of the hive. One thing 
is certain. If in summer, we drive out aU the bees and close 
the hive to exclude the miller, hundreds of worms will be de- 
veloped, in from one to three weeks, acording to the tempera- 
ture. The same is sometimes true of honey in the surplus boxes, 
though in a lesser degree. When removed early in the season, 
if to be kept in the boxes, it should be noticed frequently, and 
if small hues of a fine white powder are seen upon any of the 
combs, expose them to the fumes of brimstone. To do this, 
piepare a match by dipping the end of a cotton rag into meltea 



THE APIARY. 145 

brimstone, and when no arrangement for smoking has been made 
in the honey room, take a store box or flour barrel, and leaving 
a cavity at the lower end to receive the match, put in the boxes 
in such a manner that the smoke can enter them, and cover 
the top to confine the smoke. "When separated from the combs 
by straining, honey is secure from the moth, its food being wax, 
and not honey. Strained honey may be kept from graining, by 
heating to the boiling point, (setting the vessel in boiling water, 
to prevent burning,) and keeping it in a dark room. Empty 
combs, unless the moth eggs have been destroyed by freezing, 
should be examined occasionally, and if traces of worms can 
be seen, smoke them also, being careful afterwards that millers 
do not get to them. 

WINTERING BEES. 

In regions where the ice garb of winter remains unbroken 
from fall till spring, the consumption of food may be lessened, 
and the safety of hght stocks better secured by wintering them 
in dry cellars, or even in houses. But in this changeable climate, 
where the bees are frequently aroused to activity by summer 
weather in the middle of winter, and impelled to fly out to dis- 
charge their feces, it is not so necessary to guard against cold, as 
it is against the great consumption of honey in warm weather, 
or the filth and disease caused by confining the bees where they 
can be affected by changes of temperature in the atmosphere. 
Hence, unless a darh^ dry cellar can be had, the mass of bee- 
keepers at least, will succeed best by properly preparing thewf 
stocks, and leaving them upon their summer stands. 



148 WINTERING BEES. 



WINTERING IN THE OPEN AIR. 



In October, the exact condition of all the stocks should be 
ascertained, both as to their strength, and their supply of stores 
for winter. If any are found lacking in both these points, join 
two together, or strengthen them with bees obtained from neigh- 
bors, (page 88,) and supply them with extra food. To en- 
sure the safety of the stocks, till flowers bloom in spring, each 
should have twenty-five pounds of honey. "With a little prac 
tice, the amount of stores may be very nearly determined by 
inspection, or simply by removing the cap and hfting the hive 
from the stand. However, if the combs ar6 more than one year 
old, there is much hability of being deceived, when judging by 
lifting or weighing the hive. The reasons are, that old combs 
are heavier than new, and often contain large quantities of bee- 
bread. Still, the experienced bee-keeper will seldom err in his 
estimate of winter supplies. Should any lack stores, give them 
reserved frames of sealed honey, or if this cannot be done, and 
other stocks are very heavy, exchange a frame with each. If 
the lower part of such combs are empty, they may be placed 
near the centre of the needy stocks, as. there should be honey 
directly above the bees ; but if full, place them a little to one 
side of the cluster, for the reason that bees need empty cells to 
winter m. The comb in each frame should have an inch hole 
cut through it, four or five inches from the top, to enable the 
bees, in extreme cold weather, to reach the stores in the outside 
combs without danger of freezing, by leaving the cluster to 
crawl around the edge of the frame. 



THE APIABT I47 

Over the Bummer quilt place a woolen quilt or piece of carpet or 
other woolen material, and above this place an old bag filled with chaff 
(or other absorbing material) to absorb the moisture arising from the 
hive. It is neceesary to secure upward ventilation through the holes 
near the top of the upper box without a draft. 

This will absorb the moisture generated by tlie bees, thug 
keeping the combs dry and free from frost, while it permits the 
foul air to pass oif so gradually that cold currents within the 
hive are avoided. Stocks standing in exposed situations, may 
be greatly benefited by enclosing the hives (except the entrances) 
with caps made of flags or rye straw, ^being careful to exclude 
the mice. Set up a broad board to shade the hive, and especially 
the entrance, during the middle part of the day. If this be 
done, the bees will seldom leave the hive when the air is cool 
enough to chill them. When a judicious method of swarming 
has been pursued, and the colonies properly cared for, they 
should be populous and well provisioned for winter, requiring 
little trouble in preparing, or risk in keeping them safely through 
till spring. Such stocks, if shielded from the piercing wintry 
winds, and properly ventilated, will pass a Siberian winter unin- 
jured. Bees should not be disturbed during winter, except at 
the close of every long spell of cold weather ; when, if the aii 
be warm enough for them to fly without being chilled, open all 
the entrances to their full capacity, allowing the rays of the sun 
to strike the alighting board, when the bees will £y out, void 
their feces and return, without loss, to the hive. 



148 WINTEKING. 

This is the greatest difficulty in northern bee-keeping. In the far 
South bees often gather pollen and honey, at times through the winter 
months. In such climates there is but little danger of loss in winter, 
unless their stores are almost exhausted when the cold season comes. 
But in the North, and especially in the far North, the bees gather noth- 
ing from the fields for fully six months. Many experiments in winter- 
ing have been made, within the past twenty years. At that time, and 
even later,, the principal writers recommended wintering in cellars, but 
more recently the tendency everywhere, except in the far north, where 
continued uninterrupted cold weather lasts a long time, has been 
towards wintering on the summer stands. 

Throughout the Middle and Southern States we recommend only this 
kind of wintering. If hives are properly prepared with gentle upward 
ventilation, absorbing material, a supply of young bees, sufficient good 
Btores, and protected from the cold winds and unseasonable sunny days, 
there need be little fear in wintering. 

PEEPAKATION FOB WINTEE. 

This should be begun before the last honey season is over. See that 
every colony has a good young fertile queen. Unite weak and queen- 
less stocks. See that each hive has from twenty to thirty pounds of 
good honey, with combs, which also contain bee-bread, for rearing 
young bees. If later stores have been gathered from honey-dew,* cider 
mills, refuse from sugar refineries, or if the fall honey is very acid, they 
should be extracted, and the hives supplied with combs of good dark 
honey, set aside in summer with the honey from unsealed boxes, or 
they should be fed with sugar syrup. Give in such cases from five to 
ten pounds of sugar to each colony. 

Make a syruj), putting one part of water, by measure, to two parts of 



THE APIAET. I49 

sugar; let it come to a boil, to be sure that all has desolved, and feed it 
in suitable feeders in the cap. Give it to them warm. Any kind of a 
good feeder, with floats to prevent drowning, will answer. 

A good way is to fill quart fruit jars with the syrup, tie over the mouth 
a piece of cheese cloth, or other strong thin material, and invert directly 
on the top bars of the broodnest; packing the quilts around well, to 
keep in the heat. Sometimes two or three jars will be drained in a 
single night. If there is sufficient brood in the hive, feed rapidly, so 
as not to induce too rapid breeding. But if there is little or no brood 
present, the feeding should be more slowly, to induce breeding, for a 
plenty of young hees is one of the important elements in successful 
wintering. In sections where there is little or no fall honey to stimulate 
the queen, we wouid advise extracting the honey, from at least a few of 
the central frames, and stimulate so as to go into winter quarters 
with a fine supply of young bees, as well as a plentiful supply 
of good stores. There is no better winter food than syrup made from 
nice A sugar. At this season out door feeding must not be practiced, 
because the stronger colonies, which least need it, will get ihe most, and 
often so fill up the brood nest, that there is not a good nest of empty 
combs in which to begin the winter. 

This feeding, when practiced, should be completed before cold 
weather sets in, in earnest. October is the time to complete it. If the 
hives are to be wintered indoors, the cellar or winter house should be 
dark, dry, of equable temperature, not lower than forty, nor greater 
than sixty degrees. A number of colonies in the same room, will help 
to keep up the warmth of the cellar. A small ventilation shaft, opening 
without, with a damper to regulate the draft, will give ventilation in 
the room. If in a cellar, under a dwelling, a small pipe from the cellar* 
connected with the pipe of a stove in use, will keep the air dry and 



150 WINTEEING. 

pure. Tlie hives should be moved into the cellar with great care, to 
prevent jarring, so soon as cold weather sets in, in earnest, and remain 
until it is well over, even to May, in very cold latitude^ though they 
should be set out, a few at a time, for a fly on some warm day in mid- 
winter. They should not be taken permanently from such indoor wint- 
ing places, before the very bleak wintry winds are over. If a mistake 
is made, and they are set out, before severe weather is over, it is, we 
believe, best to return them to their quarters, if it should suddenly blow 
up severely cold, as much loss is apt to ensue. 

When wintered in cellars, much upward ventilation should be allowed. 
The cap may be left off, and a piece of fine wire-cloth tacked on, so as 
to prevent the depredations of mice . On this, quilts, or boards may be 
laid, covering partially, according to the strength of the colony. Strong 
colonies require more, and weak ones less ventilation. 

Evidently this mode of wintering requires a great deal of labor and 
iimeZ^/ attention. Sometimes with the best care the bees will become 
restless, we know not why, and will always need a fly during winter; 
many people have no such suitable cellar, and they are expensive if 
made, or they naay not well answer the purpose, owing to the nature of 
the soil. For these reasons, and the ease of wintering on summer stands, 
almost everywhere in onr country, except, perhaps, in the extreme 
northern sections, we recommend generally to winter on summer stands. 
In rather northern climates we recommend air chambers around the 
bees, to prevent sudden changes in the weather. After hives are pre- 
pared with stores, and otherwise for winter, we recommend that they 
be packed for winter in this way: Beduce the frames to six or eight, 
according to size, for bees winter better when the chamber is not too 
large for the size of the colony. Remember this fact, in preparing for 



THE APIART. 151 

•winter, that bees can stand cold, but that they cannot stand dampness 
Arrange so that the moisture, generated by the bees, can gently escape 
upwards, through some absorbing material, without giving a cold draft 
of air. This condition is attained in several ways of packing, when 
holes are made in each end of the upper chamber, to allow ventilation. 
It is attained by placing chaff cushions at the sides and over the brood 
nest; by putting over the hive an extra box, packing between the t\vo 
with absorbing material, or by placing above the quilt two or three 
thickness of cotton batting, or a bag of chaff, saw dust, or something 
of the kind. We would recommend that the absorbing material used 
be always in a bag, to prevent littering up the hive, unless pads of cot- 
ton batting are used. Perhaps, nothing is better than this. The honey 
board above confines the moisture so much to the hive as to endanger 
it in cold climates. A good cushion for both sides and top of a hive, is 
made as follows: Take a bag, a little wider than the depth of the hive, 
from front to rear, fill it with chaff or cut straw, so as to be two inches 
thick all over. Tack a few stitches here and there, as in a mattress, 
to hold the chaff in place. This may be of proper length simply to fit 
tightly in the upper box, or longer, so as to reach the bottom on each 
side of the frames over division boards. The latter is preferable in 
rather cold climates, or where wide hives are used. Contract the en 
trance and turn up the alighting board, to keep the sunshine from the 
entrance, so that it may not tempt them from the hive, when it is too 
cool for them to fly freely. The entrance should never be over a quart- 
er of an inch deep, so as to check mice. This can be supplemented 
with auger holes above, which for winter can be stopped with corks. 
Thus arranging for winter is less trouble than moving into cellars, and 
the hives are always in place. Turn down the board from the firont a. 



152 WINTEElUa. 

few warm days, or open from the caps, if snow is ^eep, and the bees 
get a good fly naturally, without mixing up, as they often do when set out 
for a fly. The labor of moving out, and returning several hives to the 
cellar, is considerable, and the warm day may be most inopportune, — 
just when some other business is pressing, and the bees must be neglect- 
ed. There is less danger from ' * spring dwindling, " and on the whole we 
would recommend out door wintering. It is well always to have the hive 
on the south-east side of a good evergreen hedge, or high, tight board 
fence to break the force of the cold penetrating winds. If convenient, 
extra coverings for winter are useful ; but they should be such as are 
easily removed as spring opens, so as to permit the rays of the sun to 
shine directly on the hive in April and May, to promote breeding. 

There should, by no means, be permitted any cracks in the cover or 
sides of hives through which rain or wet may beat or drive. Dryness 
is an essential condition, else combs will mould, and conduce towards 
dysentery, whether in the cellar or on the summer stand. 

In preparing for winter, half inch holes sliould be cut put in the 
centre of each comb, two or three inches below the top bar, and one or 
two strips laid across top of the frames, under ihe quilt, to procure free 
passage of the bees from one comb to another, in very cold wtjather. 
In the North this is very essential, but not so important in the South. 
Whether chaff cushions, straw, thick quilts of batting or other absorb- 
ing material be used, the quilt should be put over the bees first and the 
packing afterwards. A plain piece of ducking is perhaps as good cloth 
as any other for this use, as bees will gnaw it less than any other, except 
enameled cloth, which is both more expensive, and difficult to fold down 
close and tight to the sides of the hive. In Spring the absorbing mate- 
rial should be replaced by some warmer material, to better confine 
the heat. 



THE APIAEY. " I53 

FEEDING BEES. 

Feeding bees differs materially from feeding other live stock. It is 
not absolutely necessary to feed at all, unless wben stores fail in winter 
or early spring. Then no liquid food should be used. If no frames of 
sealed honey are on hand to give a needy colony, candy is the next best 
food for this season of the year. Sticks of plain white or clear sugar 
candy, thurst down between the combs, among the bees, before their 
honey is quite exhausted, will greatly lengthen out their stores. A half 
pound mlay be given at a time. It is cheap food, as a pound will last 
from four to six weeks. If a colony alive the previous day is found 
when most of the bees are apparently dead, they can usually be revived 
by sprinkling them with warm diluted sweets, and letting the nive stand 
a few hours in a warm room. They should then be given frames of 
honey or else fed. Box honey placed directly on the frames and cover- 
ed well with woolen material will be appropriated in the coldest weather 
and save the colony. 

It is always best to see that each hive has in the fall, sufficient stores 
for wintering, varying from twenty to thirty-five pounds of honey, ao. 
cording to climate or mode of wintering. Eather more honey is con- 
sumed on the summer stands, than if wintered in the cellar. It is well 
to set away some full combs of the dark and least salable honey in the 
summer to give to weak stocks in the fall. But if this has been omitted, 
they should be fed sufficient stores for winter, before it gets too cold. A 
syrup made of two parts by measure of A sugar, and one of water; fed 
warm in the cap each evening will be carried down very rapidly. Feed 
as fast as possible, to prevent too much breeding, and to prevent rob- 
bing. Feed regularly until the necessary amount is given. Stop the 
holes in the caps whilst feeding, especially if honey is used. Contract the 
entrance, and be careful not to drop honey or syrup about the hive, as 



154 TEOBING BEES. ^ 

much loss is sustained when bees rob and kill each other. This caution 
is necessary whenever feeding is necessary. In spring all colonies 
should be contracted by close fitting division boards; the combs being 
removed, except so many as the bees cover well Every few days insert 
an empty comb or sheet of comb-foundation in the centre of the brood- 
nest. Hives are thus built up very rapidly. If weak, or stores are in- 
guf&ceint, they should be stimulated by regular feeding in addition. If 
there is present a plenty of sealed honey, they are stimulated in using 
it, if you shave ofl the caps a little at a time, from one of the outside 
combs. If stores are scarce, they should be stimulated by feeding thin 
sugar syrup, in small auger hole feeders, placed under the quilt, and 
filled by raising the flap from the hole in the quilt. They are thus 
stimulated to regular brood-rearing, when they would not enter feeders 
placed above the quilt for two or three days, in a cold spell. Good 
sugar syrup is much better than honey at this season of the year, be- 
cause it does not so much induce robbing, whereby many bees are killed 
which can be illy spared at this important season. But we advise cau- 
tion in the use of cheap grape sugar, because it often contains so much 
sulphuric acid as to ruin the bees. "When bees fly before natural pollen 
is gathered, they should be fed with flour, as a substitute. 

If no water is near, bees should, in summer, be watered regularly 
every day. A shallow trough with pebbles answers well. A good way 
is to invert large glass jars in plates. Only a small amount of water 
escapes around the mouth, and this is renewed as the bees suck it up. 
The glass is convenient to see the depth of water. 

During honey droughts in summer, but little brood is reared, unless 
the queen is stimulated to activity by regular feeding. But if systematic 
feeding is pursued, especially with weak swarms, the hives are fiUed 



THK APIARr. 



155 



witli young strong bees when the next harvest opens, and are enabled to 
secure much more surplus honey than if neglected. 



In warm weather, almost any kind of a feeder, placed in the cap, with 
floats, to prevent drowning, will suf&ce. Good floats are made of thin 
boards, one-half inch less in size than the vessel. Nail a piece across 
the centre to prevent splitdng, and with a coarse saw, slit the board in 
narrow strips, from each end to the cross piece. Three things are speci- 
ally desirable in a feeder: That they be accessible for bees, without 
leaving an unnecessary hole into the broodnest, which permits heat to 
escape; that they be filled and examined, without the escape of a bee; 
and, that they be tight to prevent leaking. 

Tin vessels of various kinds, have been made. These hold the honey 
well, but at times bees will not readily enter the cold metal, when feed- 
ing is desirable. Boxes of various kinds have been made, with entrances 
from below, and close glass tops. These answer a good purpose. 
Frames or boxes with duck cloth bags, are sometimes used, but they 
are in the way in the broodnest, and if used above, the syrup often crys- 
talizes in the cloth and makes it stiff. The simplest feeders are made 
with the auger. Take a strip of two-inch board, six inches wide and 
with a one and a half inch centre bit bore two auger holes three-fourths 
of an inch apart, from one edge nearly through to the other. Near the 
back end, bore with the same auger, directly in the division between 
the two nearly through. This connects the two and makes a hole for 
pouring in the food from the top. Tack in it a wire cup, made by bend- 
ing over the thumb a piece of wire cloth, to keep back the bees when 
feeding. On this division near to the front, bore with the same auger 
holes one-half inch deep, side by side, nearly to the front, and in the 



156 FEEDERS. 

• 

centre of the division, bore three-eiglit inch anger holes through to the 
bottom for entrances. TacJfe four strips on the bottom, to give entrance 
to these, and a strip over the auger holes in the edge, and it is done. 
It may be set directly over the hole in the quilt, and a piece of glass laid 
over the entrances. Other holes may be made side by side, and the 
feeder as large as desired. The entrances need be only between every 
other hole. If preferred the entrances can be made on each edge of the 
block, at the upper edge of the auger holes. In this case the strip to 
cover the auger holes must 'be narrowed to suit. Such entrances are 
best for feeders made -with three-fourths inch augers, in inch boards to 
place directly on the frames, under the quilt, for early spring feeding. 
As many holes as desired may be made side by side, and connected by 
the division being bored away from above. A piece of glass laid over 
these holes, "wiU give a view of the interior . Simple, cheap, and excel- 
lent feeders, can thus be easily made, which will answer all the pur- 
poses of the apiary. 

We have lately seen a very valuable feeder, made by J. M Shuck, of 
Des Moines, Iowa. It consists of a block of wood two inches square 
and thick, and as long as the frame, three deep grooves run from end 
to end- The end pieces close the ends of these grooves and extend one 
half an inch above. A top bar is put on and it sits in the hive hke a 
frame. It is filled by a wire cloth thimble from the top and this closed 
with a piece of tin, which turns on a nail. 

PEOFITS OF BEE-KEEPING. 

Bees are kept for profit, pleasure, or recreation; and as a 
means of promoting or regaining health. Unlike other live 



THE API^BT. 157 

stock, they are self-supporting. Tliej noc only provide their 
own food, but with little care, will store a large surplus of their 
delicious product. 

How much easier it is to give bees the Httle attention needed) 
than the trouble and expense of caring for cattle, pigs, and sheep, 
three times a day, which no good farmer complains of. It is 
indeed strange, that any person, occupying a rood of " mother 
earth," should neglect so rich a source of profitable enjoyment. 
Could our young men and young ladies, who now spend hours 
in idleness or vain amusements, be induced to purchase a swarm 
or two of bees, and give them the little attention needed, it 
would not only prove highly remunerative, but would lead them 
into habits of industry and thoughtfulness, and fit them for bet- 
ter citizens. By the introduction of improved hives, a fresh 
interest has been awakened in this branch of rural economy, and 
with honey at present prices, there would undoubtedly be a 
general rush into bee-keeping, were it not for the fear of stings, 
and a vague behef that "luck" has something to do with 
successful bee management. A Uttle practical knowledge with 
regard to the nature of bees, will enable any one to obtain per- 
fect control over them, and will also open his eyes to the fact, 
that, with properly constructed movable-comb hives, success in 
bee-keeping is not left to "luck" or "chance," but depends upon 
the observance of simple rules and regulations. With such 
hives, the bee-keeper is enabled to ascertain the exact condition 
of a stock at any time, and thus remedy defects, or easily remove 
any comb in the hive for any purpose whatever. 

A few stocks of bees are often entirely neglected, and conse- 
quently less profitable, while a larger collection (needing little 



158 PROFITS OF THE APIABY. 

more care) receive proper attention ; wlien the profits, as from 
farm products, will mainly depend upon the season. 

"The intelligent, practical bee-keeper, can take care of five 
hundred swarms, and make a portion of the hives needed for 
aew colonies." — U. S. Patent Office Report. 

" The profits resulting from a judicious and proper system of 
bee culture, may be safely estimated at from one hundred to five 
hundred f)er cent, per annum. I have three swarms, which have 
paid mo in honey and increase of stock, upwards of $100 in two 
years. The average profit upon my entire stock, for three years, 
has been three hundred and twenty-seven per cent, per annum, 
or $3.27 has been the annual profit on every dollar invested." 
—Dr. Eddy. 

"On the 25th of April, 1858, I purchased ten hives of bees, 
m the old fashioned box hive, for $50. They were so full that 
I had to divide them before I could move them. I divided the 
ten, and made me twenty hives. On the thirteenth day after, 
I divided ten again. I took four queens from one hive, in the 
cells, and ten from another, and gave each swarm a queen-cell, 
which hatched the next day, making thirty hives. I sold from 
those thirty hives, $547 worth of honey, and the increase of my 
bees is worth $500 more, making $1,047 in one year, from an 
outlay of $50. I took from one hive, twelve frames filled with 
honey, in fourteen days, and I had a number of hives from which 
I took twelve frames, filled with honey, in twenty-one days." — 
E. Townly, Cincinnati, 0. 

The "American Agriculturist" gives the results of the apiary 
of Bidwell Brothers, of Minnesota, for two years past. In 



THE APIARY. 159 

1864, tlieir apiar.y consisted of one Italian, and fi%;-eiglit stocks 
of black bees. The one Italian stock was increased to fifteen. 
and the fifty-eight stocks of black bees to one hundred and 
eigiitj-one, principally by artificial swarming, and averaged 42>^ 
pounds box honey per stock; while, for the past season, from 
two hundred and four old stocks they received, on an a"verage, 
a trifle over seventy-five pounds surplus honey per stock. 

"A. Kearns, of Grundy County, started in this busines-s, 
with a single swarm in an " old gum " owned by a neighbor, of 
whom he received half the proceeds for keeping them. One 
hive, one year old, filled three boxes that weighed as follows : 
one 34K, one 35H, and one 36/^ pounds, boxes and honey 
together, and the fourth partly full. This bee business is of 
growing importance. As soon as these discoveries are thoroughly 
known, bee raising wiU become as general as any other branch 
of production. "When men learn that it is just about as cheap 
to raise honey as not to raise it, and far cheaper than to buy it, 
they wOl no longer avoid the business." — Pra/irie Farmer. 

Let a person estimate the profits of bee-keeping, by commenc- 
ing with a few stocks, and on an average, doubhng every year, 
or putting the yearly average of surplus honey per stock very 
low, compute the interest accruing from capital invested in bees, 
and consider how easy it is to accumulate such capital, with the 
fact that constant attention is never required, and that hives will 
last almost a Hfetime, he wiU not be surprised to find the most 
intelhgent men in this country and Europe, turning their atten- 
tion to apiarian pursuits. 



CHAPTEE yn. 



DIAKT OF HONEY PLANTS. 



% 



Success in bee-culture depends upon various thingg, just as success 
in every other line of business. The farmer who aims to keep a few 
hives, in some neglected corner, and who "has not time " to attend to 
them at the proper season, cannot expect to find the bees very profit- 
able. He can no more expect a large income from them, than he could 
from his corn which he "had not time" to work, after he had planted it. 

But whilst this is true, careful and timely attention is, perhaps, no- 
where better paid than when judiciously given to bees. This chapter 
will be devoted especially to the different ways in which that which is 
pleasant an ornamental around the home, may be made also profit- 
able for honey. 

FBUIT TBEES. 

Every home should be surrounded with fruit trees, unless so restrict- 
ed by walls and streets in the city , that there is no room for them. Every 
farmer, from year to year, should increase the number of fruit trees. 
The value of fruit for health can hardly be over estimated. Bees are 
very important in securing a good yield of fruit. Sent by nature, from 
flower to flower, they carry the pollen and fructify the germ, and make 
a good crop more certain. 

A few years ago bees were banished from a certain town in Conueoti- 



BIAET OP HONEY PLANTS. 161 

cut. Tinder the impression that they injured the fruit; but, in less than 
two years, the edict was removed, because their loss was felt in the failure 
of the fruit to set, and all were convinced of the wrong done the bees 
and the bee-keeper. 

Cherries, peaches, pears, and apples, furnish the first good honey 
harvest. Every bee-keeper should therefore have his orchards to build 
up the bees first, and afterwards repay well in fruit for many^ years and 
sometimes for generations. Fruit trees are almost the only kind of farm 
produce which continue to bear for the next generation. 

Fruit trees of all kinds may be obtained of nurserymen, but we advise 
always to purchase direct, and not from peddlers, who will often deliver 
them at the most inopportune time. If one is not able to purchase, 
they may be raised from the seed and grafted the second year, or buds 
or grafts may be inserted on any natural stocks. Good dry soil is best 
for fruit trees. Let it be well worked as if for a crop, and then given a 
good dressing with manure. A few words may be useful concerning 
the mode of planting ; The holes should be dug large enough to 
hold the roots without bending from their natural position. The finest 
and best soil should be worked in and around the roots ; filling every 
space and bringing every root fully in contact with it, so that no open- 
ing is left among them. If very dry, a pail of water should be added, 
and dirt drawn up a little higher than the surrounding soil, and packed 
down firmly with the foot. It should not be planted deeper than it 
stood in the nursery after the ground settles. If in an exposed position 
the tree should be staked and tied firmly to it with a band of straw or 
other material. The first summer all fruit trees should be mulched with 
coarse manure or litter, from three to six inches deep and extending a 
foot or two fe,rther in every direction than the roots. In a fruit orchard 



Ig2 rJUUlT TKEES. 

a hoed crop is greatly preferable to any other, for the first five years. 
After this start, fruit trees will grow and produce fairly in turf. 

The cherry tree thrives best on a sandy or gravelly soil, but succeeds 
well in almost any situation except a wet one. It is one of the most 
ornamental of fruit trees, and claims a place in the yard and garden. 
It thrives well anywhere along the fence or hedge. Bees work rapidly 
on it in the Spring. The plum attains its greatest perfection on a 
strong, clay soil, where they grow most thriftily and suffer least from 
"curculo." 

The peach is of easy culture, and of such rapid growth that where 
wood is scarce it may be grown advantageously for fire wood. Of this 
fi"uit it is not necessary to speak. A warm, sandy, and dry soil is the 
most desirable location for this fruit. The soil should be moderately 
rich, and if convenient, on rather high land, having a northern slope. 

Orchards may be well arranged with peach trees alternating with 
standard apples or pears. The peach yields first and by the time that 
the apple trees need the ground they must be cut out. 

Fruit trees of all kind may be planted either in the fall or spring. In 
cold climates, where they are in danger of freezing out, it is best to wait 
■until spring, and then carefully set out as early as the ground will per- 
mit. The fine roots should not be permitted to get dry, but be kept 
wrapped in some soft, moist material. If once thoroughly dried in the 
sun, the growth is retarded, if the tree is not injured. 

SMAIili rEUITS. 

First among these stand the Eed Raspberry. It is a very profitable 
crop, when grown convenient to market. The raspberry succeeds best 
in a moderately rich, mellow soil. It should be planted in rows five ox 



DIA.ET OF HONE? PLANTS. 163 

six feet apart, and well cultivated to produce the finest results. The 
roots of the raspberry run near the surface of the soil, hence care must 
be taken not to plant too deep. Soon after the fruit trees, it yields an 
abundance of beautiful honey, for two or three weeks. The honey 
is secreted rapidly and bees work on it throughout the day. In damp, 
rainy weather, bees visit its blossoms, when scarcely anything else 
seems to be yielding honey. Blackberries, currants, strawberries, and 
gooseberries, are visited by the bees, but among these for purposes of 
the apiarian, none compare with the raspberry. 

BASSWOOD. 

This tree is too well known to need any description. It yields rich, 
light honey, from July 10th for about two or three weeks. In large 
portions of America it is found in abundance, in the natural forests 
along with the poplar or tulip tree. Difierent varieties of the poplar 
bear the name of white-wood, which yields honey in abundance in May 
and June. 

SOUTHEBN HONEY TEEES. 

In the South the orange and lime trees, sour-wood, poplar, holly, and 
persimmon, yield large quantities of honey. In some parts of North 
Carolina and Virginia the persimmon is found in great abundance. A 
writer from Henderson county, N. C. , wrote some time since to the 
Magazine as follows, concerning it : 

"The persimmon affords plenty of honey where it is abundant. 
Swine eagerly hunt for the urn shaped flowers when they fall, and thrive 
well on them. This tree does not injure the growth of grass or crops 
near it. The fruit is liked by many persons. Bees go a long distance 



IGi 



SOUTHELN nONEY TEEES. 




BASS-WOOD. 



DIABT OP HONEY PLANTS. 1G5 

to revel in its white fringe-like flowers, of a delicate odor, resembling 
honey scented with anise. It is one of our finest honey plants." 

It blooms in spring, soon after the fruit trees cease to yield their 
honey. Rev. James "W. Shearer, formerly of Virginia, tells us that 
through many of the poorest parts of Virginia and the Carolinas, the 
persimmon tree abounds, and describes it thus : 

" It is a tree seldom found in the forests, but abounds in waste land 
throughout many parts of Virginia and North Carolina. It grows from 
twenty to forty feet in height, and is peculiar in this respect, that when 
left for shade, the soil around and under the tree is enriched, and grain 
wiU grow even up to the roots better than in the surrounding soil. The 
fruit, which is a very sure crop, is unfit for use until after heavy frost 
falls upon it on the tree. "When fully matured in winter it tastes very 
similar to the date of commerce. In many section where the persim- 
mon abounds the land can be bought at very cheap rates." 

THE OEANGE. 

In the far .South, where the orange is grown, bees gather honey 
from its blossoms in abundance, whilst northern bee-keepers have their 
hives in the cellar or covered deep in the snow. 

THE SOUR-WOOD, OR SORREL TREE. 

The sour-wood is a small tree, abounding in the natural forests in 
many parts of the South, from Virginia to Georgia. It grows from 
twenty-five to forty feet higli, and in the early summer is full of fringes of 
blossoms, which afford large amounts of the most beautifuljand delicious 
honey in the world. Each little blossom somewhat resembles the cup 
of the lilly of the valley, but somewhat between it and the mountain 



166 SOUK-WOOD, OR SOKEEL TEEE. 

laurel in appearance. The tree is covered with these little cnps, which 
are so rich in honey that it is pleasant to suck the honey from the blos- 
soms. Eev. J. W. Shearer tells us that he has often, vhilst riding along 
the road, broken off bunches of the blossoms and sucked them, to gel 
the refreshing honey, or shaken the honey from their cups into his hand 
and eaten it. He declares it to be in flavor and appearance superior to 
any honey with which he is acquainted. It is a slow growth, and the 
wood is hard and firm. The general growth of the tree is somewhat like 
the dog-wood. 

In addition to the above mentioned shrubs, and trees there are many 
which produce much honey in different parts of our broad and diversi- 
fied land. The first place must be given to basswood and sour-wood, 
among honey producing trees, and these followed by the magnolias, 
orange, lemon, locust, maple, the poplar or tulip tree, white-wood, red- 
wood, fruit trees of all kinds, the persimmon, the button-wood, the 
butter bush, chestnut, the Judas tree, black gum, mezquith, and 
many others. 

SHEUBS — ^RASPBEEEIES. 

First among shrubs stands the raspberry, and of these the red rasp- 
berry is the best for honey. In the South the andromtdas of different 
kinds, known by various names as " heath worths, " "bee meadow," and 
" leather leaf," are more profitable for honey. 

THE SUMAC 

yields an abundance of good honey wherever it is found. There are in 
some sections two varieties — the early and the late. Both are shrubs 
growing from five to fifteen feet high. The early variety has red berries 
when ripe, and the late, yellow berries. The early sumac begins to 



DAIEY OF HONEX PLANTS. 167 

bloom iu June, and lasts from three to four weeks. The blossoms 
coming out in succession. The later variety blossoms in August and 
yields good "pasturage for two or three weeks. This plant is found in 
great abundance in many parts of our country. It has become of con- 
siderable importance as an article of commerce. The leaves are gather- 
ed, dried and ground. It is used extensively for dyeing purposes. 

The willows and alders are very timely for bees in spring. Besides 
these there are a number of shrubs of great local importance to the bee- 
keeper's success, the witch hazel, hawthorn, the wild crab apple, 
blackberry, wild cherry, the Virginia creeper, the bush honey suckle, 
St. John worts and many others. Each bee-keeper should study well 
the flora of his own locality and manage his bees with discretion accord- 
ing to the expected honey flow. 

The only general advice we would give concerning the cultivation of 
trees for honey, beyond that given on page 155, is once more to call at- 
tention to the importance of good fruit on every farm, and the necessity 
for shade trees for stock. "Where the persimmon abounds, its peculiar 
character of not impovershing the soil, makes it a most excellent shade 
tree for cattle, at the same time a treasure to the bees when in bloom. 
The locust should be planted along lanes and in spare places, because 
of the great value of its timber for posts when cut, as well as for bees 
whilst growing. 

PERENNIAL PLANTS. 

First among these stand the clovers — white and alsike. "White clover 
is two well known to need any description. It should be sown among 
other grasses for pasture land. If sowi?i alone it takes from eight to 
twelve pounds to the acre. It begins to yield honey about the first of 
June and continues from four to six weeks. 



168 



PEBENNIAL PLANTS. 




ALSIKE CLOVER. 



DIARY OF HONEY PLANTS. . 169 

Alsike clover seems to be intermediate between the white and red 
in size of growth and also in the size of color of the blossom. The seed 
is only about half the size of red clover seed, and it requires only half 
as much by measure to sow an acre. In other respects alsike clover is 
sown and treated like other clover. In sowing only from five to seven, 
pounds per acre is needed. It seems to furnish richer pasturage than 
red clover and at the same time has all the advantages of white clover 
for honey. When cut at different times during the summer, it yields an 
abundance of honey. The seed is still high, and as it is growing in 
favor with farmers the demand for the seed is so great that the price is 
good. It succeeds best in a cool, moist, loamy soil. 

Lucerne seems in some sections to yield honey in abundance, whilst 
others report that they have it in abundance, yet have never seen bees 
at work upon it. Sow as clover, with from twelve to eighteen pounds 
per acre. It may be that some do not consider it a honey plant because 
during its season other honey, which the bees prefer, is so abundant 
that they neglect it, whilst in other sections they visit this plant in 
quantities. These remarks apply not only to lucerne, but to many 
other bee-plants, which in other communities are not visited by bees. 
This insect is very choice — like a boy at dinner. Let him commence 
on dessert and he will be content to make his whole meal of cake, pie, 
and puddings, to the neglect of potatoes, bread, and cabbage, So Bees 
will always work on that plant which they find at the time preferable 
for honey in the vicinity, to the neglect of other good honey plants, 
which would be visited in the absence of the first. Again, another 
reason why certain flowers yield much honey in one vicinity, and noti^ 
another, seems to depend upon the nature of the soil and climate, yet 
we are unable at present to give more than general reasons, which the 
progress of the bee-keeping industry must examine, and settle so far 



170 MEIilliOT. 

as possible. It is well known that certain flowers yield honey all day 
and others, only in the morning. Some secrete it only in moist, warm 
weather, and others, in cool weather. 

Fruit trees fail sometimes to yield honey in cold, cloudy weather. 
Buckwheat yields none of consequence in very hot and dry, or in very 
wet weather. Many have noticed that in two fields, side by side, which 
have been managed differently, bees will be found thick on the 
blossoms in one, whilst not a bee is seen on the same kind of blossoms 
in the other. And besides, many have noticed that one season bees 
work greedily on a plant, which they will not touch another year. The 
reason may be either, 

First. Because for some cause affected by climate or soil, there is no 
secretion of honey one year; or. 

Second. Because some other blossoms at the time yields more honey 
which the bees prefer. 

Extremes of cold or heat, wet or dry weather are apt to seriously af- 
fect the flow of honey, and besides flowers grown in hard poor soil 
oflimes yield much less honey than others of the same kind near by in 
soil which is in good cultivation, moist, and fertile. So many different 
things, climatic and otherwise affect the honey flow, that we should not 
too suddenly conclude that any given plant does not yield honey because 
in one particular locality, under one management, and in any particular 
year it failed to produce honey as we expected. This whole field is a 
comparatively new one, and one which may well claim careful study by 
apiarians in the future. 



Melilot is a handsome plant ; but it is uselesss, except for ornament 



DIAEY OF HONEY PIANTS. 



171 



and for honey. It yields finely, but wlien established becomes a very 
troublesome weed. It is an annual. We mention it here because of its 
popular name — sweet clover. Sow three or four pounds to the acre. 




GOLDEN BOD AND ASTEKS. 



These fall flowers stand perhaps next to clovers among perennial 
plants as honey producers. Both the Golden Eod and the Aster abound 
in large parts of the United Htates. There are many varieties of each, 
yet neither are to be recommended for cultivation, because, like the 
Oxeyed Daisy and the Blue Thistle, they are looked on as weeds. They 
spring up in abundance in uncultivated fields. The Golden Hod may 
be known by its 'general appearance. It runs up in a stalk from one to 




GOLDEN KOD. 



DIARY OF HONEY P1,ANTS. 173 

tiiree feet liigh, — a rod above the plant capped by a buncli of yellow- 
flowers. It blooms in September, and in some sections furnisbes an im- 
portant part of winter stores for bees. In many places both the Golden 
Eod and the Asters abound, and as they blossom at the same time the 
honey is apt to be mixed. The Aster yields a lighter colored honey than 
the Golden Eod, when the weather is such as to secrete it rapidly. 
Few apiarians are aware of the immense quantities of honey which 
may be obtained from, the Aster, because hives are generally filled with 
honey for winter, and the bees are not stimulated to active effort, and 
bees at this season are loth to build comb in boxes for storing it. 

Since the introduction of comb-foundation great amounts of Aster 
honey may be gotten from the broodnest, by the use of the extractor. 
So soon as the harvest opens, remove all the sealed combs, and fill their 
places vdth sheets of comb-foundation. The bees are stimulated to the 
iatensest activity. Every few days the honey should be extracted. 
When the harvest is over remove these new frames, to be kept for build- 
ing up in Spring, and return the fall combs for winter. It was from 
ihe white astei: that Eev. J. "W. Shearer secured, in Tennessee, such a 
yield in 1874. He commenced with one swarm, as reported in the 
Magazine at the time, and in September and October extracted near 
five hundred pounds of aster honey, from five colonies, to which they 
liad been increased during the summer, besides leaving a full winter 
supply in each of the five hives. With improved methods of securing 
this honey, it should receive more attention wherever this flower abounds . 
In the Fall the fields are white with the aster through many parts of the 
Eastern and Middle States. There are many varieties of aster called 
popularly by different names "Iron Weed," "Farewell Summer," 
"Eag-weed," "Stickweed," &c. in different regions. The Blue Aster 
is not so common, but is as good a honey plant. 



174 GOLDEN EOD AND ASTEB. 




BLUB ASTEK. 



DIAKT or HONEY PIANTS. 175 

The Aster grows from one to tlaree feet high. It sends forth one 
main stalk, with several branches, each of which is covered with small 
white flowers, varying from one to five hundred blossoms on a stalk. 
They continue to open for weeks, until heavy frosts kill them. Slight 
frosts do not effect the blossoms, and bees can generally find honey in 
the late blossoms, until cold weather confines them to the hive. 



Of this plant, Mr. Langstroth says: "Ifthere is any plant which would 
justify cultivation exclusively for bees, it is the borage. It blossoms 
continually from June until severe frost, and like the raspberry, is fre- 
quented by bees even in moist weather. The honey from it is of a 
superior quality, and an acre would support a large number of stocks." 

CATNIP, MOTHEKWOKT, AND HOAKHOUND. 

These three plants blossom about the middle of June, and remain in 
blossom from four to six weeks. The flowers are very rich, and are 
visited by the bees at all hours and in nearly all kinds of weather. Mr. 
M. Qainby says: *' In a few instances, I have known the catnip to last 
twelve weeks, yielding honey during the whole time. If there is any 
plant I would cultivate specially for honey it would be the catnip. I 
find nothing to surpass it. " 

Perhaps it is best to cultivate only such plants as are useful otherwise 
and incidentally yield much honey. Catnip seed scattered in fence comb- 
ers, stony places, or along hedge rows, which are not kept in cultivation, 
will pay well. 

TEASEL. 

This plant is cultivated largely in some parts of New York for its 
dried blossoms, which are used by the manufacturers in taking the nap 



I^JQ ANNUALS. 

from cloth. It yields a beautiful honey in large quantities, but coming 
almost with basswood, cannot be cultivated solely for honey. It begins 
to bloom about July 10th, and lasts from twenty to twenty-five days — 
about a week longer than basswood. It is much thinner than bass- 
wood and beautifully white,— almost transparent whtn sealed up in the 
comb, but the flavor is strong and objectionable to many people. 

BOSTESET OB THOKOUGHWOKT. 

This plant yields honey during July and August, sometimes a little 
into September. In some localities and seasons it yields good honey 
very liberally. 

Beside these, the whole families of mints, balms, and mallows are 
good honey plants. Plants of the genus Cleome, Polanisia, and Sophau- 
ihus abound in the great North-west, from Illinois to Oregon, and yield 
good supplies of honey. Early in the Spring bees are assisted in pollen 
gathering by the dandelion and crocus, which show their blossoms soon 
after the first warm weather sets in. 



First in importance among annuals stands buckwheat, though not 
first in the quality of honey. Buckwheat honey is quite dark, but rich 
and good. This grain cannot be raised to advantage where the sum- 
mer is long and hot. la cool mountanious regions the yield is best. 
Bees generally work on buckwheat during the month of August, unless 
the weather is extremely dry or wet. If an acre or two of buckwheat be 
sown a month or six weeks before the regular time for sowing it will 
yield honey for the bees just when pasturage fails in most places — from 



DIABY OF BONET PLA.XTS. 177 

the middle of July to the middle of August. Sow from two to three 
pecks per acre, in May, June, and July, to yield the best pasturage 
for bees. 

MIGNONETTE. 

"We beUeve that this well known fragrant favorite can be grown 
specially for honey with advantage. Its honey properties are well 
known, yet recent experiments have shown it more rich in honey than 
is generally believed. It is a hardy annual, and in good soil, in ordi- 
nary seasons, will bloom continuously until frost. About gardens, in 
borders, among shrubbery it is a favorite, because of its rapid growth, 
continued delicate blossoms, and fragrant smell. Bees visit this flower 
from ** early dawn to dewy eve," and in all kinds of weather when they 
can fly. It should be sown in an open border, in April and May, and 
should be thined out or transplanted, giving each plant plenty of room. 
For cultivation, the plants should be in rows two feet apart— wide 
enough apart for the plow — and the plants some ten inches distant in the 
row. In good soil they spread rapidly, so as to cover the ground. If 
well thinned in this way, the plants will become much stronger and 
produce larger spikes of bloom. So far as we know all who have ex- 
perimented with it, agree that properly cultivated for bee forage, it 
pays well. Mr. J. E. Johnson, editor of the Utah PomologisU writes 
us as follows; 

"After a continued experience of ten years I find that mignonette is 
the best honey plant I have found. It is almost as hardy, and blos- 
soms as late as any honey plant, and is an ever bloomer, giving myriads 
of blossoms, and is covered continually by the bees. I find there is no 
plant that will furnish as much honey the year round, nor none that 
gives it better flavor. I believe that one acre of mignonette would 



178 MUSTARD AND TUBNIPS. 

furnish sufScieut pasturage for one hundred stocks of bees. Certainly 
I have nothing in my list of plants, unless it is the English mustard, 
that bees work more freely on. Honey made from this plant has the 
most delicious flavor of any we have ever tasted, and where it has been 
tested in market, is far ahead of California or any other brands of honey 
and brings much higher price. " 

Mr. "Wm. Thompson, of Michigan, confirms these statements general- 
ly, from his own experience in raising this plant, and adds, "Bee- 
keepers, after this, need not concern themselves about selecting a favor- 
able location for their apiary. They can make it what they will, at very 
little expense. An acre of land put into good fertile condition, and 
planted in mignonette, will accomplish all that is necessary to render 
the situation as favorable as any that can be found. This adds another 
to the discoveries, which are rendering bee-keeping a thoroughly estab- 
lished science, and giving the bee-keeper an entire control of the 
situation." 

The seed is about twice as large as that of the turnip, and it requires 
from one and one-half to two pounds to the acre. It can be obtained 
from any florist or from this office by the package, ounce, or pound. It 
costs about $1. 50 per pound, twenty-five cents per ounce, or ten cents 
per paper. The established sweet varieties are, we believe, the 
best for honey. 

MUSTAED AND TUKNIPS. 

Next to mignonette stands mustard, as one to be cultivated for honey. 
It blossoms at the time of the drought between white clover and 
buckwheat. It should be sown in Spring as early as the weather 
and soil will permit, planting from four to six quarts to the acre. It i« 



DIAP.r OF HONEY PliANTS. 179 

best to sow it in drills one foot apart, though it is often sown in beds. 
In rich soil the stalks are from three to five feet high, and are covered 
with blossoms. This is not alone useful for honey. The tops make a 
good salad in early spring, and manufacturers of mustard for table use 
pay a good price for it. The black mustard yields honey most 
abundantly. 

The turnip blossoms at the proper time to furnish good pasturage 
during the drought, just after the fruit trees yield is over. In the 
Southern States, when turnips are not winterkilled, the small ones left 
in the ground in the fall, will produce an abundance of flowers, rich in 
honey, at this season. 

From the Northwest various annuals rich in honey, are reported 
such as Chickweed, Smartweed, Spanish Needle, Silk Poppy, the Minne- 
sota bee plant, and the Eocky Mountain bee plant. Besides these a 
variety are found in almost every section, differing according to climate, 
which yield honey to a greater or less extent. Among these are the 
blossoms of melons, pumpkins, squash, and cucumbers, peas of dif- 
ferent kinds, tho snap dragon, the wild parsnip, which in some regions 
is very valuable, heaths, holly hocks, sunflowers, and many others. 

Among all these there are none which we would recommend to be 
cultivated for honey save fruit trees, and raspberries, with basswood, 
and other superior trees from the list for shade trees, and groves; and 
as crops, buckwheat, mustard, turnips, and mignonette, as recom- 
mended before. 

"We must always remember that any given honey producing plant or 
tree does not uniformly secrete the same quantity of nectar one year 



180 MUSTAED AND TUKNIPS. 

with another, although it may be profuse in blossoms, since much 
depends upon the state or condition of the air and soil, during its 
period of bloom ; yet, it is also true that many plants blooming at the 
same time require very different conditions of the atmosphere in order to 
secrete the largest quantity of which they are capable, some require a 
dry, others a humid, and many an intermediate condition. This is a 
field for future examination and experiment. 



CHAPTEE VIIL 



MONTHLY MANAGEMENT. 



This department, the experienced bee-keeper will not so mucli need, 
as the beginner, for he has learned when to attend to his bees; but the 
novice continually needs timely advice and warning, least he neglect 
something, to the great detriment of his apiary. Even the experienced 
bee-keeper may be assisted in rendering prompt attention, by such a 
reminder; for all are aware how prone we are to neglect, or postpone, 
that which is of importance, unless reminded of our duty. We do not 
here propose to include everything which must be borne in mind, but 
will give general directions which will necessarily involve some repeti- 
tion of what has gone before, which, we trust, is pardonable. 

JANUARY. 

Careful apiarians, by this time, have their hives all properly arranged, 
either in dry cellars; or, as we prefer and recommend, on the summer 
stands, as heretofore directed, unless in very severe climates. If winter- 
ed indoors, let the bees remain as quiet as possible; only examining 
occasionally to see that no mice are interrupting them. If on the sum- 
mer stands, they should be examined often, guarding tho entrance 
against mice, who love the warmtb of the cluster, unless the entrance is 
so dosed that they cannot enter. Throughout the w inter a board should 



182 FEBKUAET, 

shade the entrance, so that the sunshine may not tempt them out, unless 
it is quite warm. If the alighting board be hinged to the bottom board, 
by two small staples, driven in opposite directions in each, it may be 
turned up when needed for shade, and turned down when they can fly. 
The board will prevent sun and rain from driving in at the entrance. 
Hives covered with light snow are protected in the best possible man- 
ner against cold weather, but when it begins to pack and freeze it should 
ba lemoved from the entrance, or at least from the holes in the caps, 
when packed with absorbing material, as heretofore recommended. 

Do no feeding in this month, unless the bees are about to run out of 
stores, and then give a frame of honey, ©r place honey boxes directly 
over the cluster. If these are wanting feed with plain white candy. If 
the candy is burnt in making it is not a suitable food for the bees. In 
warm climates these directions are not so important as where the 
weather is cooler. 

During this and other winter months, the bee-keeper should prepare 
his hives, boxes and crates, and whatever is necessary about the apiary, 
so that he may not be pressed when the bees begin to need his attention, 
and perhaps the farm, orchard, garden, or other business calls for a 
share of his efforts. 

FEBRUARY. 

Keep the bees still as quiet as possible, where the weather remains 
cold and wintry. But if a warm day comes, uncover the entrance and 
let the bees have a -good fly. They can then finish the winter, until the 
weather tempts them out. Any undue excitement by jaring or, in any 
wise disturbing them in cold weather, is very injurious. The bottom 
board should be cleared of all obstructions, and the dead bees swept 
out. If left, they injure the colony. If colonies wintered indoors 



MONTHLY MANAGEMENT. 183 

show signs of uneasiness, they should be taken quickly to their summer 
stands on a warm day for a fly, and returned quickly in the afternoon, 
when they have ceased to fly. 

In northern climates rye and oat meal may be fed, during February 
and March, in a sunny comer, protected from the cold winds : but in 
the South, natural pollen will be brought in during this month. After 
its appearance bees cannot be induced to use meal. Sueh feeding is 
useless, except in cold climates where the flowers are late in making their 
appearance. In the far South bees begin their spring work this month — 
gathering honey, and rearing brood, for the honey harvest and the 
swarming season is close at hand. Farther North, light stocks will need 
feeding, but where once commenced it should be continued regularly. 
When winter holds on well through February, no liquid food should be 
given, but candy or loaf sugar, as recommended for January. If bees 
are not permitted to fly during the winter, they are liable to dysentery. 
This disease is present whenever bees discharge their feces in a liquid 
state in the hive, on the bottom board, or on the combs. This disease 
seems to rise chiefly from feeding upon bad honey ; increased, perhaps, 
by improper ventilation, or too great exposure to extremes of weather. 

Bees have been retained in dry cellars for seven months, from Novem- 
ber till May, without bad efieots There is always danger from this 
disease when bees are confined to the hive for a long time without void- 
ing their feces, and their food is inferior. Sometimes fall honey is 
inferior in quality, or bees being near apple mills, store in a great deal 
of unwholesome sweet, or else have a supply of inferior food gathered 
from the honey dew. The best way to prevent dysentery in winter is, 
to extract inferior or unripe fall honey and feed sugar syrup, as describ- 
ed in "September Management," or else substituting sealed summer 
honey in its place. But if at any time dj'sentery appears among bees 



184 MAECH, 

in winter, they should ba given an opportunity to fly and void their 
feces, as soon as possible. If the remaining stores seem to be bad 
they should then be fed with sugar candy, or if near spring, with sugar 
syrup. Sudden exposure to cold seems to increase the tendency to the 
disease ; whilst when in warm comfortable quarters, they generally void 
their feces in a dry state in winter. Combs soiled by bees having 
dysentery should be washed by a small stream of water from a syringe, 
and may be returned to the bees in the Spring. 

As in January, take care that all the necessary hives, tools, and im- 
plements are in readiness for summer. 

MARCH. 

This is the trying time on bees, and the seed time for the apiarian. 
Every hive should be examined, and if stores are scant, they should be 
supplemented. We cannot too strongly insist on the importance of 
regular feeding, if once begun. The feeders should be placed under the 
quilt, so that the bees can get at the warm liquid food, without leaving 
the cluster. They should not be fed in the morning for two reasons. 
First, Because it is apt to induce robbing ; and, Secondly, Because when 
they have warm food during the day, bees are tempted to fly out, and 
many will thus be chilled. The auger feeder, described under "Feed- 
ing " answers well for this season of the year. The syrup should be 
made quite thin, as bees need much water. Early in March, or six 
weeks before fruit blossoms will appear, each colony should be confined, 
to only so many combs as it can well fill, by a movable division board 
until the combs are pretty well filled with brood, and at intervails of 
from five to ten days, the combs opened and an empty one inserted. 
By this means the heat of the colonies is retained, the queen stimulated, 
and brood reared very rapidly. Be cautious not to expand more rapidly 



MONTHL? MANAGEMENT 185 

than the increasing bees can fully cover the combs. The ventilation 
from above, should now be stopped and the quilts kept tightly packed, 
,' BO as to retain the heat of the hive for rapid development. When there is 
\ abundant honey in sealed comb, bees ai^ stimulated to use it by clip- 
.« ping off the caps and putting it in the broodnest. If there is sufficient 
honey in the combs no other feeding should be done at all, unless it is 
to be kept up regularly until the first blossoms appear. Guard carefully 
against robbing, by leaving no syrup or comb exposed, and by contract- 
ing the entrances, especially of weak stocks. If any hive is found 
' queenless, it should be promptly united with some weak colony, and 
the combs preserved for use in the summer. It is a loosing business to 
attempt to keep a queenless colony. Before they can rear a queen they 
will almost certainly be lost from dwindling, robbing, or worms. But 
if united with a weak one, it makes it strong, and almost doubles its 
value. In the far North rye meal should be continued until flowers 
appear, but when wintered indoors we advise always to keep them in 
until the last of April or the first of May. If such colonies become un- 
easy, take them to their summer stands, (being careful to place each 
upon the site occupied the year before, to prevent confusion when they 
take their flight) and return them until the cold weather seems to be well 
over. Colonies wintered in the cellar are not prepared to stand the 
changes to which they are subject, if set out too early, and the result is 
great loss by "Spring Dwindling." Some bee-keepers advise setting 
such on their summer stands about the middle of this month and begin 
to feed artificial pollen. If stores are plentiful and sweet, such hives 
- will go forward gradually with breeding in the cellar, and when warm 
weather begins to stir Ihem, they are in much better condition than if 
set out earlier. 

March or April is a good time to buy bees in old hives for transft ring. 



186 APRIL. 

The selected stock should be strong in bees, with dark straight comb 
and not a last year's swarm, because m this is an old queen. One that 
has swarmed the preceeding year is much to be preferred as this has a 
young fertile queen. 

If attention is given regularly to feeding small quantities of syrup 
every evening, from ttis time until flowers appear, you may expect large 
stocks and much honey. This is especially desirable when red rasp- 
berries are abimdant. 

APRIL. 

This is the month in which bees need the most care. There are few 
sections in which honey is gathered, except in the far South, though 
bees are active bringing pollen, and raising young bees in abundance. 
In any locality it is important that the queen should be laying rapidly 
six weeeks before the fruit trees blossom, ot before the first expected 
yield of honey. 

During this month bees consume large quantities of honey in rearing 
brood. If stores are scant but few bees will be raised, and, perhaps, the 
abundant brood in the cells will be destroyed. Bees often starve at 
this season of the year, because the honey is consumed more rapidly 
than supposed. It is well to continue the operation of spreading the 
comb and inserting an empty one, or comb -foundation, every eight or 
ten days when the bees are doing well; being careful not to spread 
more rapidly than the increasing bees demand. If combs on hand are 
filled with sealed honey, chp the caps and place it in the centre. The 
bees will rapidly use and remove the honey, and the comb be appro- 
priated to brood-rearing. Be careful to place no drone comb in the 
midst of the broodnest at this season, unless drones are desired very 
early for the purpose of Italianizing. If this is desired a sheet placed in 



MONTHLY MANAGEMENT. 187 

the centre the first of this month, will give drone as early as swarming is 
generally desirable in the Middle States. This should be regulated by 
the climate. Regular feeding, with thin sugar syrup, about sunset during 
this month pays well, in additional stores later in the season. But even 
where the stocks are all strong and feeding deemed unnecessary, it is 
well to feed in the caps during any continued cold or rainy spell in this 
month and May. 

In this month bees from the cellar should be set on the summer stands 
•except far North, where, if they remain quiet, it may be best to wait 
until the first of May. This should be regulated by the season. They 
should be set out as soon as warm weather seems to have come and 
blossoms begin to appear. In setting out bees, open only a few stocks 
at a time, until the excitement of first flight is over. In the far north 
continue feeding rye and oat meal this month, so long as the bees 
will take it. 

In the far South the swarming season is approaching and the direc- 
tions for May and June are more appropriate. In the far North, March 
management applies. These notes apply more especially to the great 
middle section of the country. As bees are rapidly increasing during 
this month, common sense teaches us to take away absorbing material 
and cover the broodnest as closely as possible with warmer covering, so 
as to prevent upward ventilation and retain as much as possible of the 
animal heat of the hive. There is no danger of getting the hive too hot 
in this month, except in the far South. Sunshine on the hive«timulates 
them in spring. "Wherever the wild cherry abounds it is best to give no 
room for storage of surplus honey from this source. Its honey is excel- 
lent for building up colonies, but unpleasantly bitter for table use. 

At this season kill every worm or miller that may be seen. This 
saves trouble, as each one now rears four generations during summer. 



188 MAY, 

Be careful in Spring, and then keep strong stocks, and the danger from 
worm is very small, especially if Italian or hybrid bees are kept. 
April and May are, perhaps, the best months for transferring. April in 
the South, and May farther North, when the first great brood rearing is 
over. If any queenless stocks still remain, unite them as recommend- 
ed in March . Feeble colonies should be reinforced by a frame of hatch- 
ing brood, placed in the centre, during this month. Do not cut away 
comb because it is dark or even mouldy. Mouldy or soiled comb can 
be easily renovated by water and the extractor, or with a strong syringe. 
Combs in which bees have died should be cleared of dead bees, even if 
it be necessary to scrape away a part of the cells on one or both sides 
of the comb. 

MAY. 

If care has been given as recommended, all stocks in mild latitudes 
should be crowded with brood in all stages of development. In the far 
North the stimulating of April is now in progress and in the Southern 
States the honey harvest is well begun. There the June management 
best applies to this month. 

It seems to be the instinct of bees at this season to rear as much brood 
as possible. If any honey is to be gathered they bring it in rapidly. 
The more honey they get and the more they are fed the more rapidly 
they increase, provided the broodnestis not filled with it. If cold, windy, 
or rainy weather continue for several days, hives are very much checked 
in development and injured. Hence, under such circumstances, they 
should always be fed. Let the sun shine on the hives as much as pos- 
sible during this month. Different management should be followed 
this month, if rapid increase of stocks is desired, instead of surplus 
honey. 



MONTHLY MANAGEMENT. 189 

If increase of stocks is the object much, feeding is required, and new 
comb continually inserted to the capacity of ten or twelve frames, ac- 
cording to size. As soon as drones begin to hatch, by the middle or last 
of May. divide the strongest hive, by finding the queen and removing 
the comb to which she adheres and one or two more to a new hive, add- 
ing from two to four frames of artificial comb, according to the strength 
of the colony. Kemove the old hive to a new locality and place the new 
one upon the old stand. The old one will rear a number of queen cells 
ready for insertion into other hives as swarms are made by either of the 
methods recommended under ' ' Artificial Swarming. " We would advise 
the above method or that of taking two combs from each of four hives 
and inserting empty ones in their places for beginners, giving each a 
queen cell, when made. 

The novice should never attempt to more than double his colonies. 
He may expect the best results if he only makes one new swarm from 
each two, especially if he uses the extractor. We would advise getting 
an extractor, even though not more than two hives are kept. 

These directions, concerning swarming, apply in many places to June, 
according to strength of colonies. If bees begin to " lay out " when the 
hives are crowded, they should be divided, the combs extracted, artificial 
foundation given, or honey boxes put on. Sometimes giving boxes will 
not set bees to work, and unless an extractor is at hand they should be 
divided. If surplus honey and not increase is sought, the extractor is 
almost essential. If it is freely used there is much less danger of swarm- 
ing. Sometimes bees will take the swarming fever. If so, it is best to 
swarm them, raise young queens, as described above, and then reunite 
them with the young queens, giving ample surplus space in boxes at 
the top and sides, or by filling both the upper and lower chambers with 
combs, and foundation combs wlien the extractor is chiefly relied on. 



190 JUNE. 

In June we will give specific directions concerning putting on, and the 
management of boxes, which in middle latitudes where honey appears in 
abundance, should be used this month. 

Hives with young queens are much more apt to make worker comb, if 
empty frames are given, than those with old queens, which make more 
drone comb. The best way to prevent swarming is by giving empty 
comb every few days, between two brood combs, by using the extractor 
freely on the combs in the broodnest, by giving ample surplus boxes, or 
by placing the hive above another having empty comb below, and 
closing all the entrances into the upper one, except through the lower. 
But if the swarming fever has once begun it cannot well be cured, except 
by dividing, after which they may be reunited. 

If empty combs at any time are not in use, they should not be packed 
in a box, or moth eggs will soon hatch and destroy them. Hang them 
singly in a cool cellar or out building, where the air can pass around 
them and they are not apt to be injured. 

JUNE. . 

In -most sections in the North and Middle States this month is the 
great harvest time for the bee-keeper. It is also the great swarming 
season and every bee-keeper, who relies on natural swarming, must now 
keep constant watch over his bees. 

Whenever bees are hived it is always well to put a card of honey and 
brood from the old stock into the hive. This will usually prevent the 
swarm from leaving the hive, and also furnish necessary supplies should 
a few days of cool, rainy weather immediately follow. For modes of 
hiving, and dividing artificially, see the chapter on this subject. There 
is always danger of hives becoming queenless after swarming, as the 
queen may be lost on her bridal tour, or fail to reach the right hive. 



MONTHLY MAKAGEMENT. 191 

Such a queenless hive will soon become weak, and is liable to be destroy- 
ed by worms or robbers if not watched. Queenless stocks do not defend 
themselves as others. It is better to unite such stocks with others, un- 
less queen-cells or young queens are at hand to give them, and afterwards 
divide ag lin, if increase is desired. Be careful to remove drone combs 
from the brood nest that time and honey be not wasted in rearing too 
many. To prevent the swarming fever proceed as described in May, 
by using the extractor, doubling up, and exchanging combs ; or else 
give timely access to the honey boxes. At first only a small amount of 
surplus room should be given each hive. After the bees begin to work 
well in this, other boxes may be added. If starters of comb or comb 
foundation be placed in the boxes the bees will more readily commence 
on them. 

At the commencement of a good honey flow at the last of May, or 
during this month each hive should have some surplus room if box 
honey is desired. As the season progresses, and the bees are rapidly 
working, these may be increased by removing and giving new boxes, by 
removing from the side to the top, or by lifting one tier of boxes and 
inserting another, according to the arrangement of the hive and the box 
prepared. Bees store faster in the lower chamber, and seal up the 
honey more quickly above. Where one has time, perhaps, the most 
profitable way to manage for honey is, to combine the use of the extrac- 
tor and boxes. Build up rapidly in the spring, as described. Then in 
June — having the hive full of bees — contract the broodnest to six or 
eight frames— as many as the queen will keep full of brood. On each 
sida place brood frames full of small boxes, hanging in the hives just 
as the regular frames. (See "Hives "and "Surplus Honey,") Two 
on each side are sufficient. If boxes larger than four and one half inches 
square are used, wire framed division boards, with proper openings, must 



102 JUiiT. 

be used between them and the broodnest. These frames can be con- 
stantly shifted, placing a full one above to be capped, moving out the 
inner one and inserting between it and the broodnest a frame filled with 
other boxes. As honey is rapidly stored in the broodnest, it may be 
extracted before it is capped over, the thickest and best drawn off from 
below and bottled, and the rest refei to the bees, to be stored in the 
boxes. This can be done to a great advantage during a honey drought, 
50 as to keep the queen rapidly laying, and the stock strong for future 
work. 

Where the extractor is used regularly it wilj. be found much best to 
have a few extra combs, and as the combs to be extracted are removed 
replace them with others, and close up the hive. By keeping the frames 
in a carrying box, well covered they are exposed but a little time to 
robbers. If robbers abound they should be carried to a close barn or 
outer room and extracted. The best time for extracting is in the middle 
of the day, during a good honey harvest, when most of the old bees are 
absent in the fields. They will then scarcely notice the honey. Extract 
from two combs at a time. Clipp off the caps with a sharp knife, (see 
" Extractor") and hang them on opposite sides, close against the wire 
frame. Now turn the extractor a few moments until the honey is 
thrown from the sides next the wire cloth, and then turn the other sides 
3f the combs to the wire cloth and turn as before. New combs, or those 
tiaving in them pollen or brood should be turned very gently. 

JULY. 

Keep a constant watch for queenless colonies, and do not let them 
dwindle away. Prompt attention saves the colony. All the hives 
should be kept strong by regular feeding after sunset if pasturage fails. 
Care should be used at such times in opening hives. Always smoke the 



MONTHLY MANAGEMENT. 193 

bees well before attempting it, and move gently, because bees are much 
more vicious when there is no honey in the fields. Keep boxes on and 
continue to extract according to the honey supply. 

If small boxes are used in large frames they may be removed or ex- 
changed with ease, just as the regular frames, by smoking the bees and 
then brushing them off with a green twig. "When boxes are to be re- 
moved too much smoke will cause them to eat the caps from the honey. 
If section boxes, or any with more than one comb is used, it is often dif- 
ficult to rid the boxes of bees when they are removed, and there is dang- 
er of losing the young bees by the method recommended, viz., putting 
into a box or barrel, and covering it with a sheet, which is turned over 
frequently as the escaping bees cluster upon it. A successful method 
is to have each hive numbered and as boxes are removed number them 
accordingly. Upon this place a corresponding box, with holes open 
between them, and lay them with the empty box uppermost in the 
honey house. The young bees will ascend into it. It is then closed and 
placed upon the hive from which the box is taken. This, however, is 
troublesome, The best way to remove them when honey is abundant 
and bees are gathering it rapidly, is to take off the boxes and set them 
by the hives in the evening. In the morning early the bees will 
be out, and they should then be removed. 

Boxes should be watched for a few weeks after they are taken off. If 
the weather ia warm and worms begin to hatch, they should be smoked 
with sulphur. It is most successfully used by heating a large piece of 
iron. Put it in an iron vessel and pour the flour of sulphur upon it- 
In this way there is no danger from fire. (See under " Honey Boxes.") 

In sections where darker honey is gathered the last of this month, the 
nice white basswood, or clover honey comb should be promptly re- 
moved before it is soiled, or the white honey extracted before it is injur- 



194 AUGUST. 

ed by admixture with the darker. During hot weather be careful always 
to give the broodnest good ventilation, but keep the boxes closed for 
wax working. 

AUGUST. 

In many places but little honey is gathered this month/ but in others 
the main summer supply is laid away. Of course different manage- 
ment applies, according to location. If honey abounds, continue treat- 
ment as in July — keeping each hive supplied with boxes, or extracting 
frequently. "Where dark buckwheat is plentiful we advise giving frames 
of foundation in exchange for sealed combs, which should be set away 
for winter. We advise this especially where bees can be gotten in the 
fall from neighbors who " take up " their bees and where aster, golden- 
rod, smartweed, or other fall flowers abound, which produce good 
honey. This can be saved and the less salable buckwheat honey be 
substituted for winter, or used for filling hives for bees gotten from 
neighbors. 

This is the best month for Italianizing if it is done by purchasing 
q^ueens, because they are cheaper than at any other time of the year ; 
the hives are not necessarily disturbed during their previous work, and 
they go into winter quarters just right to turn out good Italian workers 
for the next season. Be careful always to have brood reared plentifully 
this month and next, even if feeding is necessary, because hives strong 
with young bees in the fall, winter much better, and develope much 
more rapidly in the spring than those that cease rearing brood at this 
season of the year. Whenever no good honey harvest is expected after 
this, care should be promptly taken to see that empty cells are in the 
centre of the hive for broodrearing, and that there is a full amount of 
supplies given for winter. 



MONTHLY Mi-NAGEMENT. 195 

During the honey drought in this month, or whenever the bees 
cease to find honey in the fields, they are much more difficult to handle 
and much more given to robbing than at any other season. In opening 
or removing boxes be as gentle as possible, and always smoke well 
before opening a hive. Keep all stocks strong. If any seems weak 
build it up by inserting from one able to spare it, a comb or two of 
hatching brood. Keep the entrances contracted so as to prevent robbing. 
If it has fairly commenced stop it as recommended under "Eobbing,' 
Leave no sweets or bits of comb exposed. 

If box honey is placed in a cool dry cellar there is less danger from 
hatching worms; and less yet if the combs are set on a shelf an inch or 
^wo apart, so as to permit the free circulation of air around them. 

SEPTEMBER. 

This month's operations are very important in preparing hives for 
winter. Unsealed late honey is generally poor winter food for bees^ 
Hence if close extracting be continued late there is always danger, un- 
less full sealeld combs have been set away for them, or unless this be 
extracted and good sugar syrup be given as recommenced in the chapter 
on " "Wintering." Bat where many fall flowers abound the main sur- 
plus of the year is sometimes gathered this month. Hence prompt at 
tention should be given. To gather this fall honey the extractor is almost 
invaluable; for it will be not be stored in boxes when comb must be 
built anything like so rapidly as in the brood nest, which instinct 
teaches them must be filled now for winter. 

This, like August, is a good time to introduce Italian queens or others 
in order to secure new brood, which is, as we believe, no less important 
with bees than other live stock. 

Keep no queenless stocks beyond this month, unless queens are ex- 



196 



OCTOBEB. 



pected to be introduced, and in that case insert a comb or two of hatcb- 
ing brood from some that can spare tbem, in order to secure a supply 
of young bees for winter. "Where little honey is gathered, the last of July 
and throughout August, but the fall harvest is good, the best time to 
divide bees is just after the summer harvest closes. By regular feeding 
during this time all the necessary queens may be reared, a good increase 
obtained, and the hives are all strong with bees to gather the fall honey 
and are also in the best condition for wintering. 

In readjusting the comb for winter in this month or next, according 
to climate and honey flow, be careful always to give each hive a comb 
or two containing bee-bread, and in northern latitudes to cut a hole in 
each comb for winter passages, as recommended under "Wintering.'' 
Queens known to be. old should always be replaced by young ones in the 
fall, even though you have to purchase the young queen. With a little 
care a supply of young queens may be easily kept on hand this time of 
the year. If feeding is necessary feed as rapidly as possible, unless it 
is desirable to stimulate bioodrearing. Directions as to modes of ship- 
ping honey will be given next month. 

In this month do not fail to contribute to, and carefully examine the 
bee department in your local and State fairs. You can there often get 
valuable information. But if there is no interest taken in this subject 
go to work and show its importance, and let the people know the great 
advantages of improved bee culture over old methods. 

OCTOBER. 

Except in the South complete all arrangements for winter early this 
month, and there where the honey flow ceases. See that each hive has 
proper absorbing material above, holes in the caps to give upward 



MO:^sTHLS MANAGEMENT 197 

ventilation, the entrances contracted so as to keep out mice, and all snug 
for winter. Spare combs should be carefully preserved and laid away 
for use in the spring. Small and queenless colonies should be united, 
winter passages made, old queens superseded, and young ones intro- 
duced. Queens may be reared thus late by keeping one strong colony 
queenless, so that it will retain drones for fertilization. 

Some stocks if not extracted may have too much honey. If so equal- 
ize them by exchanging with some poorer colony, and see that some 
empty comb is left near the bottom of the central frames for clustering. 
In modern climates sufficient passage is given from comb to comb for 
winter by laying a stick an inch in diameter across the frames, under the 
quilt, but in cold climates both this and holes in the comb are recom- 
mended. Kemember that the essentials of good wintering are, a plenty 
of young bees with a fertile queen, an abundance of good sealed honey 
easily accessible, and warmth with proper ventilation. 

A good cotton quilt with three or four thicknesses of batting, makes 
perhaps, as good as any obsorbing material. It is light and may be 
easily removed for feeding or for examination. 

To unite bees smoke them thoroughly and sprinkle them with sweeten- 
ed water, strongly scented with anise or peppermint, and either shake 
the bees altogether into an empty box, using as many of the best combs 
as are necessary in the new hive, and then pour the bees at the entrance 
of the hive, or after smoking and sprinkling well put one frame alter- 
nately from each hive into the new hive, brushing all the bees off at the 
extrance and set this new hive in an intermediate position between 
the two. 

If any boxes have remained on till this month they should be now 
removed and packed as neatly as possible in crates with glass sides, as 
recommended under the head of "Crates." If your honey is extracted 



198 NOVEMBER. 

drain off any thin honey on the top of your jar or bottle. Seal it up 
neatly, labeling it with your name, apiary, and kind of honey, and then 
sell as conveniently to your ownhome as you can to advantage. It is al- 
ways well to let the people know the superiority of honey gathered by im- 
proved methods so as to build up a local trade and increase consumption. 
Boxes of comb honey should be packed rather tight in crates. In mak- 
ing large shipments it is best to attend the car to see that they are handled 
safely. Small amounts may be sent securely in shipping boxes in which 
the crates are supported on small wire coil springs or rubber tubing. 

NOVEMBER. 

The honey season is now over, and all the hives should have been pre- 
p'ared for winter, but if a few have been neglected they may be so prepared 
on some warm day in this month. If hives are to be taken indoors they 
should not be carried in before the cold weather has set in in earnest, or 
it may be necessary to return them to their summer stands because of 
uneasiness. The later they are housed the better, provided the weather 
continues open, so that the bees can fly and void their feces. It is 
better to take them in the day after they have flown freely. Before cold 
weather sets in, colonies to be wintered on summer stands, should be 
packed with absorbing material, and given upward ventilation through it. 

In the far South some parts of October management best suits this 
month. Unite all weak stocks after smoking well, as recommended 
last month. They will not fight much now when united. See that all 
unused hives or implements are carefully housed for the winter. 

DECEMBER: 

This should be a month of repose with the bees. Less brood is reared 
in November and December than in any other pari of the year. Now is 



MO:STHLr MANAGEMENT 199 

the time to study the bee business, prepare hives, crates and boxes, and 
all necessary implements. Decide with regard to setting out shade trees 
for their honey qualities, orchards, and cultivation of honey crops so as 
to be able to secure seed or young trees for planting when the time 
comes. See that hives are protected from cold winds, and occasionally 
clear the dead bees from the bottom board. As in January, keep the 
bees quiet as possible. 

We would advise beginners especially to study carefully this Monthly 
Management, and use practical good sense in following it, accord- 
ing to climate, the particular season, and the honey flow at the time. 
In bee-keeping it is of the first importance that the right thing be done 
at the right time. 



CHAPTER IX. 



HIYES. 



The value of a hive depends upon its size, shape, and the 
advantages secured in its construction. 

SIZE. 

Experience has demonstrated that, as a general rule, when we 
varj from the correct size, the larger the hive the fewer swarms 
we get, ai-d the smaller the hive, the smaller the swarms will be, 
and the greater the danger of over-swarming. A hive should 
contain about two thousand cubic inches, in the clear. A stock 
m a hive of this size, will swarm more regularly than from a 
larger one, and store more surplus honej. While, if the hive 
be much smaller, the colonj will often fail to lay up provisions 
enough for our long winters. All the hives should be made of 
the same size, as a very large swarm will usually be no larger, 
after a few months, than one of medium size, while a small 
swarm may be as large as any at the end of the season, much 
depending upon its having a prohfic queen, good weather aL^ 
abundant pasturage. 

SHAPE. 

Upon the shape of the hive, depends the economy of heat for 
breeding, and safety in wintering. If a hive of proper size be 



HIVES. 201 

too high, less box honey is obtained ; but if too shallow, it not 
only takes more workers to cover the lower part of the combs, 
to protect them from the moth, and keep up the required heai 
for breeding, but the winter stores are scattered over so large a 
surface, and of so Httle depth, that although the heat arising 
from the swarm will keep the honey warm directly above the 
bees, they soon consume that to the top of the hive. "Wher 
this happens in very cold weather, if there are no holes through 
the combs, the bees die of starvation, as it is certain death foi 
them to venture around the edge of the frosty combs by which 
they are surrounded. Hence, swarms often perish with ample 
stores in the hive. For these evident reasons, we would recommend 
that frames be long and shallow in warm climates, and deeper and 
shorter according to climate, approximating to a square where it becomes 
very cold. 

More box honey can be secured with shallow frames, both because 
there is more surface for boxes, and because bees store more readily near 
the broodnest. But this advantage is counterbalanced in cold climates 
by the greater depth for wintering, the greater ease of extracting, and 
the greater depth for boxes beside the broodnest when shorter and 
deeper frames are used. 

" THE ADVANTAGES SECURED IN THE CONSTRUCTION OP HIVES." 

Centuries ago, inteUige'nt men were convinced that, if complete 
control of the bees and combs could be obtained, bee-keeping 
must become a sure and systematized business, both pleasant and 
profitable. The practice of murdering whole colonies, with the 
brimstone match, for their stores, was gradually abandoned by 
th^ introduction of surphis honey boxes, with glass p'^««* in 



202 ORIGIN OF MOVABLE-FRAMES. 

which the bees would store their tempting sweets in the most 
beautiful and marketable form. Yet bee culture still bore the 
stigma of a business of ^^luch and chance" or working in the 
dark, and all attempts at improvement were failures, as there 
were no facilities for examining the interior of the hive to learn 
:he cause of or apply a remedy for any defect that might there 
exist. But "necessity is the mother of invention." This dark- 
ness was first gradually dispelled, in Europe, by the invention of 
a movable -comb hive, called the " Leaf Hive," by Francis Huber, 
of Geneva, as early as 1795. 

It had long been known, that bees would start and build their 
combs with considerable regularity from strips placed across the 
top of the hive, by which the combs oould be lifted out by 
cutting loose their side attachments from the hive. These " bars " 
led to. *'bar frames," which are most briefly described in Mr. 
, Langstroth's Patent, referred to in note on 
page 140, in which he shows that he is the 
inventor of the shallow chamber and some 
other features connected therewith, which 
will be understood by the descriptions 
^9. Tayior'i Frame. which he gives of previous inventions, 

which we abbreviate as follows : The Huber frame consisted of 
sections, the top and side bars fitting close together, with no 
honey receptacles above, but the necessity of cutting the side 
attachments of the comb was obviated. 

"W. Augustus Munn, Esq., invented the "bar and frame hive," 
and pubHshed a description of it in London, in 1844. Li 1851, 
he pubhshed a second edition of his pamphiet, in which, describ 
vng hia "improved hive," he says he has "very materially 





HITES. 203 

simplified the construction of the bar and frame hive, by forming 
the oblong bar-frames into triangular 
frames, and making them lift out at the 
top instead of the back of the bee-box." 
M. Debeauvoy published the second edi- 
tion of his "Guide del Apiculteur," as 
early as 1847, in which he describes his 
10. Oblong Munn Frame. movable frames with narrow tops and side 
bars, the tops fitting closely to the honey -board above, and the 
sides to the walls of the hive. In 1851, he pubhshed his third 
edition in Paris, in which he describes his new frames, having 
their sides at suitable distances from the bottom and walls of the 
hive, with the tops fitting closely together, but still in connection 
with a honey -board above the top bars. Thus, movable-comb 
frames were much improved and used in many parts of Europe, 
by Huber, Debeauvoy, Munn, Taylor, Bevan, Golding, Huish, 
Dzierzon and others, while the " brimstone match " bore sway 
in America. But, the key to successful bee-keeping once found, 
nothing could stop its progress. The bounds of the Atlantic 
were passed, and many in our country became acquainted with 
Hiiber's " Leaf Hive " and movable-comb system. 

HIVE ESSENTIALS. 

There are now made many good movable comb hives among which the 
beginner should make choice, and have all the hives in the apiary made 
just alike, so that any frame or any part of a hive will fit any other hive. 
Exact workmanship is of the first importance. There is now no patent 
on any important part of movable comb hives, and any person can 



204 HIVES. 

make plain wooden ones as he desires. Perhaps the best way is for 
each beginner, if unable to make his own hives and boxes, to get such 
good hives as are manufactured most convenient to him, and at the 
best rates from good lumber. 

"We recommend simple stands made of a bottom board the width of 
the hive and four or five inches longer for an alighting board. This 
should be nailed to 2x4 inch strips so as to place the hives near the 
ground. The hive should be hinged on the back end of this, to be 
raised for cleaning off the bottom board. The frames should hang on 
metal stips one-fourth of an inch above the edge of the rabbits to pre 
vent killing bees when handling them, and also to prevent the ends of 
the frames from being glued down too tightly with propolis. The alight- 
ing board should slant from the front, that overladen bees may craw* 
in when blown down by the wind. 

We recommend that the cap be of the same frame dimensions as the 
body of the hive so as to be used as a double hive — with two tiers of 
frames for extracting if desired. The top should be one solid board 
with good cleats underneath, or if made of two pieces the boards should 
be well seasoned and tongued and groved and glued to prevent leaking. 

Formerly honey boards were used above the frames to hold surplus 
boxes, but they are difficult to make and not so convenient as quilts. 
These should be made from a simple sheet of ducking or other firm 
material in which the bees will not gnaw holes. They should be a little 
larger than the space to be covered, so as to tuck down well and cover 
the bees, and the cloth be well shrunk before making, lest they become 
too small after using for a time. They should be hemmed and in the 
centre of each a small hole for feeding, covered with a flap, which is 
raised only when needed. Honey boxes may be set directly on the tops 
of the frames, or better upon strips resting on the frames, and the quilt 



HrVB ESSENTIALS. 205 

tucked around them to keep in the heat. When sections are used in 
wide frames they should be closed at the side with a follower which may 
be tied or held in place by a foot piece which prevents its falling over. 
Perhaps the best way to manage boxes is to place them in wide two 
inch frames. These may be either of the dimensions of the regular 
frame or half the depth so as to hold only one row of small boxes. Two 
tiers of the latter are used at the sides of the broodnest and one or two 
above, as desired or as seems necessary. (See "Honey Boxes," p. 56.) 

These wide frames which hold the honey boxes of the same width 
have on one side strips of tin wide enough to leave passages for the 
bees at the bottom and top into the honey boxes of one-fourth to three- 
eights of an ineh. By this means the comb is secured accurately in 
boxes which may afterwards be covered with glass or not, as prefered 
and packed uniformly in crates to suit the market. 

Two close fitting division boards should belong to each hive for con- 
tracting it when necessary and to be used in packing for winter. "When 
not needed below they can be hung in the upper box. Narrow strips 
of heavy wood having one end cut diagonally make excellent entrance 
blocks. 

The bee-keeper should make his hives during winter when not pressed 
with work, and have a full supply of boxes, and crates, or barrels on 
hand when the honey season opens. It is too late to make them when 
the bees begin to need attention. Success depends greatly in pro- 
vidence for the busy time, and prompt attention when demanded in 
the apiary. 

PAINTING AND CLOUDING HIVES. 

Hives should be painted as soon as made, and three or four weeks 
before being used, as the smell of fresh paint is offensive to the bees. 
They may be painted every shade of color, for the sake of variety, but 



206 

red is most apt to be noticed from a distance, while white or clouded 
looks best near by. To cloud a hive, paint it white, and while the last 
coat is fresh, place the hive in a horizontal position, passing under it the 
smoke and blaze of a lamp with a small round wick. If the clouding be 
done in a room out of the wind, with a little practice the hives may be 
made to resemble marble, and are very ornamental, although it costg 
nothing for material, and can be done in five minutes. 

OBSEBVING HIVES. 

Nearly all of the facts in the physiology of the honey bee may h% 
tested bv having a glass hive, with a single comb taken from a full hivA 
in the parlor, office or sitting room. If more than one comb is used 
some of the operations will be hid and the queen will often be between 
them and invisible. Observing hives are of little use with more than one 
frame. The bottom should be made of thick board four inches wide 
Bore a hole in one end of this, so as to open up into the hive and make a 
small ventilator, and cover it with wire cloth. The two sides should 
be of glass, two inches apart, sliding into rabbets in the ends. The 
queen may be seen depositing eggs in such a hive, without danger, and if 
a comb with eggs, brood, and bees from an ordinary hive be given, the 
whole operation of forming queen cells, and rearing queens can be seen. 
The bottom board should extend three or four inches in front, so. that 
the bees enter from without the room. 

THE CIRCULAB HAW. 

One of the absolute necessities about the apiary is a circular saw. It 
may be run by loot power if the number of colonies is small, but for 
over twenty colonies, some other power will be required. Unless one is 



THE CIECTJIiAE SAW. 207 

in the business pretty extensively he can buy the section frames more 
cheaply than he can make them, but even when these are bought, the 
saw is indispensible for cutting out frames, hives, and the multitude of 
smallpieces that are constantly needed. The saw being so useful, in 
this section, we propose to give some directions for managing it so as to 
have it work satisfactorily. 

In the first place it is necessary that the saw should be perfectly round. 
It should be screwed on to the mandrel, and a mark put on both, so that 
always afterward it may be replaced in exactly the same position, if it 
is ever required to be removed. Now, the mandrel should be placed in 
its bearings, and the belt put on, so that it may be just tight enough not 
to slip. Next an emery wheel should be laid upon the table over 
the saw slot, and then the table must be lowered until just the points of 
any teeth that may be longer than others will touch as the saw is turned. 
The saw must be run and the table lowered gradually till every tooth 
touches, when the saw will be round. The emery stone will not be in- 
jured, nor will the saw either, even if some teeth are ground off blunt. 
The point does the cutting, and if that is sharp, it does not matter how 
broad the tooth is. Next the saw is to be filed. The ripper can be 
filed best with a cant file. [See cut Fig. 1.] Large enough to fit the teeth 

Fig. 1. 
of the saw, which by the way, must be as small for the size of the saw as 
they are ever made. The cross-cut, is filed with the ordinary three- 
cornered file. The filing must be done entirely on the under side of 
the tooth, and should not be continued after the point is sharp. The 
under side of each tooth of the ripper should have the direction of a 
tangent to a circle of half the diameter of the saw, and if the cross-cut 



208 



of one-third tlie diameter. Fig. 2 will illustrate the meaning. The 
teeth on the left are correctly filed , the others incorrectly. The teeth 
may be filed slightly flairing by holding the file obliquely, especially 
of the cross-cut, as they are to be used generally in soft wood. The 
next operation is setting. This may be done with the ordinary saw-set, 




Fig. 2. 
made much like a knife with notches of different widths along the edge 
for bending the teeth; but a beginner will generally succeed best with 
one of the various patent affairs containing a gauge. Whatever is used 
the set must be as little as possible — ^just bending the point of the teeth 
outside the plane of the saw as in Fig . 3. So that the end of the kea-f is 
A 



Fig. 3. 
equare across, and not containing a point in the middle, as in Fig, 4. 



Fig, 4. 



However carefully the saw may be set, the teeth will probably not ail 
get exactly the same amount of bending; so to make them perfectly 
even the saw must next be jointed. This is done by turning it back- 



rOTJIi BKOOD. 209 

ward and holding an oil stone first against one side and then the other. 
Next the saw is to be tried, to see if it is just right. It ought now to cut 
rapidly, straight and smoothly — every cut a glue joint. If it does not 
run straight— either drawing the board away from the gauge or wedging 
it so tightly as to stop — the trouble is either with the saw or the guage. 
Look at the end of the saw kerf, if it is pointed on one side or the other, 
the teeth on the pointed side are too long, and they must be filed again 
and thus shortened. If the kerf is square across, the trouble is with 
the guage. It must be made exactly parallel with the saw. If the 
further end is nearer the saw than the other, the piece will wedge; if 
nearer, the work can not be held close to the guage. The table should 
be raised so that the teeth just reach through the piece sawed. 

There ought to be a pretty heavy fly wheel connected with the saw, 
and as much difference between the size of the driving wheel and the 
puUy of the mandrel as convenient, so as to obtain as much speed as 
possible; But any arrangement of geared wheels to obtain speed is not 
satisfactory. 

rOUIi BEOOD. 

This is a disease which, as its name indicates, attacks the hrood, and 
soon destroys a colony by preventing any brood from coming to 
maturity. We are thankful that personally we know nothing of this 
disease. Those who have suffered from it pronounce it very fatal, though 
there seems to be several phases of the disease; some far more fatal than 
others. The disease is contagious, like small pox or cholera and like 
these is propagated by very small spores or germs, which attack brood and 
destroy it. To check or cure this disease the fungus growth must be 
destroyed. 

Salicylic acid has, by experiment in Germany been found to be des- 



210 FEETIUZATION IN CONFINEMENT. 

tructive to this foreign growth, if properly applied. Yet some, among 
whom is John Hunter, state that it has failed with them in effecting 
a cure. 

From what we have been able to learn of the disease, we believe that 
the ordinary type may be cured by the application of the acid as recom- 
mended by Mr. Muth, of Cincinnati, as follows : Make a solution of 
128 grains of salicylic acid, 128 grains soda borax, 16 ounces of water, 
[distillled preferred.] Spray this solution on the combs containing 
brood, after uncapping cells that are sealed. The solution does not in- 
jure the bees, but seems to kill the spores of the disease. The spores 
find their way into the honey and the disease is spread among bees that 
eat of the honey from an afiected hive. Doubtless robber bees help to 
scatter the disease. It is well in severe cases to remove the bees from 
the honey for three or four days and then place them in another hive. 
Eemove all affected combs to a single hive. If possible remove the 
queen, and the bees will clear out the combs. If it is desirable, sprinkle 
a second time with the salicylic acid mixture. But in case the disease 
seems to be of a very malignant type it may be best, if this remedy fails, 
and the bees deprived of their queen do not clean up the comb, to drive 
out the bees and after three or four days put them into new hives, and 
then use the heroic treatment; burying all the affected combs and 
thoroughly washing the hives with some disinfectant before being used. 

FEBTHJZATION IN CONFINEMENT. 

I 

As queens are fertilized on tJtie wing, every person who has reared 
Italian queens knows the difficulty of getting them purely mated, as they 
Dften meet black drones from distant apiaries. This trouble interferes 
much with the business ef queen rearing, since the bee master must 
wait several weeks to test the purity of a queen before sending her out, 



FEETILIZATION 12? CONFINEMENT. 211 

or else sell merely as a fertile queen, at a reduced price. The desirabilL 
ty of fertilization in confinement, so as to be certain of purity, has been 
long felt, but has. until recently been considered impossible, and even 
now some are too incredulous to accept a fact, ' 'because I have not done it.^ 

Mrs. Tupper announced her success at artificial fertilization some 
years ago, but being pressed by business cares — almost broken hearted — 
and besides ridiculed for her statements, she did not fully carry out her 
experiments. She communicated her experience to others, who also 
reported success in a number of cases, -when the proper condition* 
■were secured. 

Mr. Jno. F. Laflferty, of Illinois, states that he has many times suc- 
ceeded in sending out queens to mate by giving light on a bright day, 
when she is two or three days old. The trouble in all attempts at artifi- 
cial fertilization seems to be in ascertaining just when the queen is 
ready to meet the drone. 

Many things indicate that the subject is about meeting with a success- 
ful solution. One of our progressive appiarians informs me that he has 
this year sueceeded, not only in fertilizing his queens in confinement, 
but also in selecting the drone with which they shall mate. He has 
described to us the process which is very simple and practicable, but as 
he is already booked for a paper on " Fertilization in Confinement " at the 
National Convention, in October next, he will then make known his sys- 
tem to the public. So much progress has been made in seemingly im- 
possible matters, it seems strange that lovers of the art would, by un- 
timely derision, check needed experiments and progress. 



OHAPTEE X. 



BIOGRAPHY OF BEE-KEEPERS, 



Believing it a subject of interest to most bee-keepers, we devote this 
chapter to a brief sketch of several persons whose labors have helped to 
advance the cause of apistic science in modem times. 

Foremost of all stands Francis Huber, who was born at Geneva, in 
1750. He is noted for many wonderful experiments and discoveries in 
the natural history, physical economy, and habits of the honey bee. By 
nature a clear and close observer, he was so assiduous in his duties that 
he lost his eye sight in early life. But nothing daunted, with wonderful 
perseverance, he continued his researches, using the eyes of his faithful 
servant, Francis Bemens, for making observations. In 1795 he invent- 
ed and used his Leaf Hive, which consisted of eight close fitting sections 
or frames, opening out on hinges, like the leaves of a book. (Doubtless 
his idea of combs in sections was derived from the observation hives 
used by naturalists in his day, and improvements on the Grecian hive 
having top bars and comb guides as described by Abbe Delia Becca, in 
his publication, in Paris, in 1790). 

The results of Huber's experiments may be summed up under four 
heads: 

First. As to Eggs. — That the queen lays two kinds of eggs. One kind 



BIOGBAPHT CP BEE-KEEPERS. 213 




FRANCIS HUBER. 



214 BIOGRAPHY OF 

— unfecundated — which producesmales or drones. The other— fertilized 
— which produces workers, and these — when developed with royal jelly 
in queen cells — ^produce perfect females or queens. 

Second. As to Queens. — That they are the orAj peTfect females; that 
they leave the hive early in life to meet the drones on the wing ; that 
they are incapable of fertilization after the third week of life, and ever 
after lay only drone eggs; that one impregnation lasts for life, after 
which they lay eggs regularly arranged in the comb, one egg in each 
cell; that workers which have been partially fed on royal jelly some- 
times lay eggs, but irregularly and only such as produce drones. He 
exploded the idea that workers were neuters, proving them to be un. 
developed females. 

Third. As to Pollen. —That pollen is the natural food of young bees 
or larvae, when prepared by the nursing bees ; that without it brood 
cannot be reared, and that honey is the chief food of the mature bees. 

Fourth. That wax is a secretion from the body of the bee, and not 
gathered as previously supposed. That it is made chiefly from the sac- 
charine part of honey. 

As his views were received and adopted, others were led to improve 
on the Leaf Hive. First, by changing the shape of the edges to prevent 
the destruction of bees in shutting the leaves, then by arrangements for 
elevating one frame at a time into a glass case for examination, then by 
using the simple bar, after the Grecian method, lifted from the top of 
the hive. Then with bar and frames on the principle of a hive within a 
hive modified and improved as found to-day among apiarians. 

Naturally bars led to frames. Huber obviated the necessity of cutting 
the comb loose by having it built in sections of the hive. But for practi" 
cal reasons the bar and frame was soon used within boxes answering 
the same purpose. 



BIOGEAPHT OP BEE-KEEPEES. 215 

Henry Taylor, whose " Manual of Bee-keeping " was first published 
in 1838, describes a frame like the cut on page 197, in which uprights 
were used inside the hive to prevent bees from attaching combs to the 
hive. 

Major William Augustus Munn, so well known as the author of the 
revised edition of Dr. Bevan's booJs on the honey bee, as early as 1844, 
described his box with oblong bar and frame. He invented it in 1834, 
at twenty-four years of age, and after nine years of trial took out letters 
patent in Paris, in 1843. This was for a box and frame similar to 
those now in use. f See page 198. ; In 1844 he described them fully in 
a pamphlet published in London, and in 1851 it was fully exhibited at 
the great fair in London. In 1852 Mr. Lang^troth took out letters 
patent in America, somewhat simplyfying the same principles. About 
the same time Dzierzon, in Germany invented his new hive . Each 
seemingly independent of the other adopted similar hives. 

Major Munn was a genial, hospitable English gentleman of intelli- 
gence. Being an enthusiast on bee-culture, he spent much time in 
studying the nature and habits of bess. Like Quinby he wrote much 
on the subject for agricultural and other papers. His most lasting work 
is the revised edition of Dr. Bevan's great work on the honey bee— the 
most scientific work ever written on bees in England. 

Eobert Huish, who published his book on bees in 1840 and 1844. was 
a man of the highest culture and ability, a member of the Academy of 
Arts and Sciences, at GoUiugen, and honorary member of the Natural 
Institute of France. He seemed to have loved bees and bee-culture, but 
his work is interesting chiefly as illustrating the folly of theories not 
based on close observation. His book seems to have been written mainly 
to attack Huber and his theories. It shows how truth alone will survive 



216 



BIOGEAPHY op BEE-KEEPEBS. 




C T, ISTS, BY J.H.NELLia &BRO., PUBLISHERS, CANAJOHARIE, N.Y. 



//. 



U^n^^ <U,ii^^^lt.t;^^ 



/7^ i2cxxy»^ 



BIOGBAPflT OF BEE-KEEPEES. iil7 

while attacks upon it must suffer. Among English apiarians Golding, 
Hunter, Neighbor, Pettit and Cotton deserve favorable mention. 

Moses Quinby, of New York, was eminently practical in his efforts 
and writings; the direct aim of which was to raise bee-keeping to the 
dignity of a distinct and successful business pursuit. His " Mysteries 
of Bee-keeping " is the result of twenty years of careful observation and 
practice, suggested and guided by Dr. Bevan's book. It was first pub- 
lished in 1853, almost simultaneous with Mr. Langstroth's book, and 
what seemed remarkable at the time, they agreed on almost all the 
wondrous facts concerning bees, so much at variance with the received 
notions. This book, with its revised edition of 1865, was eminently prac 
ileal, carrying it even to a fault. His mode of management for common 
box hives was beneficial in its day; but now, when all progressive bee- 
keepers want the movable comb hives, this becomes a great fault in the 
book. The amount of quiet work done by him gratuitously in receiving 
and instructing visitors, in answering letters and enquiries, besides 
regular contributions to the press on his favorite subject, is amazing. A 
man of genial presence, of kind and generous impulses, and possessed 
of true kindness of heart; he is much missed by bee-keepers of our land, 
and especially by those of his native Htate, who looked to him as their 
leader and guide. Many regret that he was not spared to complete a 
work which he contemplated on advanced bee-culture. The Quinby 
Hive, though extreme in size, was most successful under his manage- 
ment. He is especially known as the inventor of the Quinby Smoker, 
by his practical writings, by his peculiar hive, and by the theory — not 
fully accepted by many — that under proper favorable circumstances the 
liquid part of honey may be entirely evaporated in the body of the bee. 

The name of Kev. L. L. Langstroth is a household word with every 
advanced apiarian ; He was among the first to introduce movable comb 



21S 



BIOGEAPHT OP BEE-KEEPEES. 




EEV. L. L. LANGSTKOTH, 



BIOGBA.PHY OF BEE-KEEPIJES. 219 

hives into America, taking out letters patent in 1852 for the hive tha^^ 
still bears his name. It embodies the oblong frame of Major Munn, and 
the box of Dr. Bevan. Involving the same principles it is decidedly an 
improvement in mechanical construction upon those in use in England. 
Mr. Langstroth deserves, and rightly receives, great credit for his perse- 
vering efforts and experiments in his chosen pursuit, for an abundance 
of pioneer work, for his zeal in introducing Italian bees, and improve- 
ments for doing so. But his book on the '• Honey Bee " is the crown- 
ing work of his life, and a contribution to apistic science, which will 
continue to live. It lacks the practical character of Quinby's work, but 
is far superior in scientific accuracy and beauty of expression to any 
American work which has yet appeared, or probably wiU appear, because 
henceforth the demand is for something more practical. 

H. A. King has, perhaps, done more than any other man in America 
in calling the attention of the masses to the importance of improved 
bee-culture. His American Hive, in its different forms, has, we think, 
been used more extensively than any other. The Bee-keepers Journaj 
commenced in 1868, with a circulation of two thousand copies, at one 
time ran up to near thirty thousand. ' ' Hints to Bee-keepers " ran up to 
thirty thousand copies, and of the old "Bee-keepers' Text Book" up to 
the present time there has been sold about fifty-one thousand copies. 
This work, however, was largely the production of N. H. King, deceased, 
who was one of the real pioneers of scientific bee-keeping, and to him 
the intensely practical character of this book is due. 

In 1874 H. A. King, in connection with ourself commenced the publi- 
cation of the Bee-Keepers' Magazine, and in 1875 he retired permanently 
from the bee-business to engage more fully in preaching the Gospel and 
in the dissemination of religious literature. 



220 



BIOGKAPHT Cr BEE-EEEPEES. 




BEV. H. A. KING. 



BIOGRAPHY OT BEE-KEEPEKS. 221 

Baron Von Berlepsch at first violently opposed the theories of Dxierzon, 
l)ut having by experiment proven their truth, he became, their warmest 
advocate. His name is associated "with his movable frame hive in Ger- 
many, which was suggested to him on seeing that used by Dzierzon, in 
1838. It was invented and used from 1840 to 1845, when he greatly 
improved it by leaving space between the frames and the walls of the 




BAROX vox BrrLLr (H 

hive, to prevent the bees from gluing them fast. They were in all 
respects the same as the majority of frames now in use, and above the 
frames this hive had an air space, and above this, a perforated top 
with surplus honey receptacles. He used this till 1850, when he added 
side projections to the frames, and described the same in the Bienen- 



222 



BIOGBAPHY or BF.E-KEEPEKB. 




CAPTAIN T. E. VON SIEBOLD. 



BIOGRAPHY OF BEE-KEEPEBS. 223 

2kitung, for May 1852. It lias been adopted as the standard hive by 
the Italian bee-keepers. 

Being a man of wealth and leisure he gave much atiiention to his 
favorite subject. His last book on bee culture is said to be one of the 
most complete ever written. 

He invited Captain T. E . Yon Siebold, professor of zoology and 
anatomy in the University of Munich, to his apiary to test by experiment 
the theories of Dzierzon, and especially those connected with the par- 
thenogenesis of the queen. , He found on examination that the parts ad- 
hering to a young queen returning to her hive from her bridal 
tour were identical with the male organs of the drone ; that the 
spermatheca of the queen was filled with the seminal fluid 
of the drone, and that worker eggs were accompanied with 
spermatozoa. Prof. Leuckart, at the request of Baron Berlepsch 
dissected a drone laying queen, and found no semen in the spematheca, 
In 1852 Dr. Jos. Leidy, of Philadelphia, dissected a queen for Mr. 
Langstroth, with the same results as with Siebold. These two facts 
prove the correctness of Dzierzon's theory, since eggs of unfertilized 
queens do undoubtedly hatch and produce drones. 

In closing this sketch we must not omit to mention the German apiar- 
ian Von Hrushka, the inventor of the Honey Extractor, to which we are, 
in American bee-keeping, so greatly indebted. In the apiary it is second 
to none of the important discoveries, in practical utility. 

Few men have taken a deeper interest in the pioneer work of bee- 
culture than Mr. W. W. Gary, of Colerain, Massachusetts. About the 
year 1860 he made the acquaintance of Mr. Langstroth, then living at 
Greenfield, Mass, aud spent some time with him experimenting with 
hives and bees. The greatest confidence and friendship has always ex- 
isted between them. Hearing in 1860 of the successful importation of 



224 



BIOGBAPHT OF BEE-KEEPEJ\S. 




PBOr. LEUOHAET. 



BIOGBAPHY OF BEE-KEEPERS. 



225 



a few Italian bees by Mr, Samuel B. Parsons, of Flushing, New York, 
Mr. Gary visited him and spent the summer with him in rearing and 
experimenting with Italian bees. Since then he has labored to dissemi- 
nate this bee in purity. 
' After one failure Mr. Gary succeeded in procuring a colony of Egyp- 




W. W« CAET. 



tian bees, but finding them inferior to the Italians, he abandoned them 
without an attempt to sell. 

Though sixty-four years of age he is still much interested in the in 
troduction of new races of bees and in furthering in all honorable ways 
improvements in bee-culture. 



'S^G BIOGBAPHY OF BEE-KEEPEES, 

Mrs. Ellen S. Tupper has most satisfactorily proven that women may 
successfully follow this new business. With great industry and per- 
severance she maintained and educated her large family mainly by bee_ 
keeping. A close observer and pithy writer, she has done much to at- 
tract attention to this industry. Misfortunes, however, have followed 
her. At one time her apiary was destroyed by a hurricane. A few years 
afterwards her house was burned in winter, which involved the loss also 
of all her bees, as they were wintering in the cellar. Heart-broken and 
almost, if not quite, demented by losses and physical prostration, other 
troubles thickened around her, but she is again recovering physically, 
mentally, and pecuniarily. She has again gathered an apiary, and with a 
woman's perseverance amid trials, comes forward again with her pen to 
help the cause she loves. It was Mrs. Tupper who first announced sue. 
cess in artificial fertilization of queens. Though pronounced impossible 
her statement is verified by recent experiments. 

Foremost among German apiarians stands Dzierzon,a Eoman Catholic 
Priest, of Carlesmarkt, in Silesia. In 1838 he adopted a hive with movable 
bars alone, which was afterward greatly improved. He first discovered that 
bees will take flour instead of pollen in spring, and introduced its use, 
but he is best know as the author of the theory of the ' ' Parthenogene- 
sis of the Queen," so long derided, but now thoroughly established and 
accepted. His improvements and remarkable success in bee-culture 
attracted great attention throughout Germany and rapidly created a 
revolution in German bee-keeping. 

Bev. E. Van Slyke is well known to the readers of the 
bee journals of America, as a scientific apiaiist of the most prograss- 
ive school. He commenced in New York City, in 1867, the pubLcation 
of the American Bee Gazette. It was through its foreign columns that 
American bee-keepers first became acquainted with the honey extractor 



BOIGBAPHY OP BEE-KBEPEES. 



227 




EEV. FATHEE DZIEEZON 



228 BIOGEAPHY OF BEE-KEEPEBS. 

of Yon Hruschka. Two articles on that subject published in two suc- 
cessive numbers, were bailed with delight and apparent sensation 
throughout the United States. When Mr. Samuel Wagner, after the late 
war of the rebellion, resumed the publication of fhe American Bee 
Journal, a movement was made for consolidation, which resulted in the 
union of the Gazette and Journal and afterwards appeared in Washing- 
ton, D. C, under the name of American Bee Journal and Gazette. Mr. 
Van Slyke never dealt harshly with the supposed discoverer of new 
facts in his favorite pursuit, but patiently put them to the test of practical 
experiment, and so soon as demonstrated to his satisfaction, gave them 
to the people through the journals of the country. He was an ardent 
advocate of the truth of Mrs. Tupper's discovery of the posibility of 
fertilizing queen bees in confinement, now so fully demonstrated, and 
practised by Prof. Hasbrouck. 

Before closing this sketch of those who have rendered valuable service 
to apistic science by their writings or other labors, we would not fail to 
make honorable mention of J. S. Harbison, Adair, Dr. Metcalf, Prof. A. 
J. Cook, Mr. A. I. Eoot, Mr. T. G. Newman, all of whom have added 
largely to the modern literature pf this subject. While Harbison and 
Eoot, with J. E. Hetherington, Adam Grimm, Doolittle, Nellis, Clark, 
Hosmer, C. J. Quinby, T. F. Bingham, and a host of others, whose 
names dur limits forbid mention, but whose faithful labors are worthy 
of all praise, have demonstrated, in the shape of tons of honey, the 
entire correctness of the new theories of successful bee management^ 
and to whom we still look for yet new discoveries in this fruitful field 

In mentioning names jjs^e make no invidious distinction, but urge all 
to activity in developing the rich honey resources of our land as they 
reveal themselves in the blooming flowers. 



BIOGRAPHY OF BEE-KEEPEBS. 



223 




BBV. E. VAN SLTKE. 



THE BEE-KEEPERS' MAGAZINE. 



An Illustrated Monthly Journal of 32 octavo pages, devoted entirely 
to scientific and practical bee-keeping. 

Its contributors are the best and most experienced bee-keepers of the 
United States. Large space is devoted to beginners, giving useful 
information just when it is most needed throughout the year. 

TERMS. — $1.50 a year, in advance. Subscriptions may commence 
at any time. 

The New Bee-Keepers' Text Book. 

CLOTH, post-paid, . ... $i.oo. 

IN PAPER COVERS, post-paid, . . 75 cts. 



The Bee-Kjeepers' Text Book, of which there have been sold nearly 
fifty-three thousand copies, has done more than all others combined to 
bring to the attention of the masses the importance of rational bee- 
keeping as a pleasant and profitable fife pursuit, and now that the book 
has been thoroughly revised, largely rewritten, finely illustrated, and 
brought up to the present advanced stages of bee-keeping, it is hoped 
that the new book may speedily obtain a wider circulation than that 
reached by the old. * 

B^-AGENTS ^VANTEDI 

LARGE CASH COMMISSION. 

Agents canvassing for the Magazine can very profitably handle this 
Book. We keep on sale all other books on bee-keeping, at publishers' 
prices. Address, 

ORANGE JUDD CO, A. J. KING & CO. 

245 Broadway, ^^' 61 Hudson St., 



I'l^.ICEl LIST 



OF 



APIARIAN SUPPLIES 



A. J. KING & CO., 6i Hudson St., N. Y. 

OK, 

ORANGE JUDD CO., 245 Broadway, N.Y. 



TERMS:— CASU. 

« 

MOTTO ;— First-class goods, quick sales and small profits, and prompt- 
ness in filling orders. 

BEQTIIBEMENTS .-—Name, Post Office, County and State. Also, if 
not to go by mail. Express or Freight Office, County and State 
All to be written very plainly. 



N. B. The goods offered in this List are manufactured under our 
direct supervision, and of the best materials, and are first-class in every 
respect. The bee-hives are painted with two coats of white lead, and 
are provided with fuU sets of frames and surplus honey sections. 



NEV\^ AMERICAN BEE-HIVE: 




No. 1. 

No. 1 represents the main body or breeding apartment. No. 2 repre_ 
sents the double tier of four honey-boxes, each one of which is composed 
of seven two pound sections. This hive contains nine regular 12x12 
American frames. The cover (not shown in the engraving) is arranged 
so as to slip down over the body of the hive, making a double wall for 
wintering. It also reduces the bulk of the hive so much that the rail- 
road companies charge but one-half the usual freight rates. The double 
tier of boxes fit exactly inside the brood frames, and when the cover 
is slipped down, it is almost as compact as when shipped as material. 

1 complete Hive, with all accompanimentg .• . $4 00 

5 to 20 complete Hives, with all accompaniments, 3 50 

Material (except glass) in lots of five or more, each 2 25 

These two styles of hives (American Eclectic) are deservedly the most 
popular of any in the market, and are both adapted for either extracted 
or box honey and double width frames filled with surplus boxes may 
be used in the breeding departments as well as in any other hives. 

We also furnish finished hives of 

ALL THE OTHER LEADING STYLES, 

or materials for the same (in lots of five hives each), at lowest rates. 
Prices furnished on application. 



ECLECTIC BEE-HIVE. 




The above cut represents tlie Eclectic Bee Hive (except the cap) wilti one end 
cut away to show the inside arrangement. J, the stand ; G, bottom board of 
hive, hinged at the back, with hive raised up a little to show ease of cleaning 
bottom board ; H, slide to contract or close entrance ; L, button to hold slide in 
place ; K, upper entrance ; E, movable frames, supported on smooth iron metal 
rest for top bars, and separated at bottom by metal spacer, which is attached to 
each side of bottom of hive three-eight inch above bottom board to prevent 
crushing bees ; D, close fitting division board, by which the capacity of the hive 
is regulated. The honey board on which the surplus receptacles rest is com- 
posed of strips of board one-fourth inch thick, secured in a manner to prevent 
sagging and by which all the surplus honey-may be at once removed. The re- 
ceptacles consist of six boxes, each of which is composed of four section frames. 



holding two pounds eacli. The frames are close fitting at sides and top, and are 
boundflrmly together by strips oltough manilla paper -wMcli are glued across 
th6 sides and turned around the end one-fourth inch to hold the glass in place; 
A, represents a strip ol this paper ; 5, one section ol the box. "We thus have 
all the advantages or large boxes for storing and handling, combinedgwith all the 
advantages of neat two pound sections which may or may not be glassed, but 
our advice is to use no glass except in the orate. 

We have given the illustration and discription of our Selective Hive at 
the request of a very large number of subscribers, and will here state that of all 
we have sent out we have not had one word of fault from purchasers, but on the 
other hand we have received numerous high commendations. 

1 Hive, complete in all respects $5 CO 

5to20 Hives, complete in ail respects, each 4 oo 

Materials complete, except nails and glass, in lots of 6 or more, each 2 60 



BELLOWS SMOKER. 



By onr last improvement in the Bellows Smoker 
we believe we have rendered it superior to any and 
all others now before the public. It is made of the 
very best material; has the direct draft to perfec. 
tion; burns all kinds of combustibles; utilizes all 
the wind and smoke; never goes out while there 
is burning material in the fire barrel, and invari- 
ably gives unbounded satisfaction, It is also an 
indispensible article in the greenhouse and where 
ever destructive insects congregate. Also^ old 
combs may be so thoroughly fumigated with it as 
to destroy all eggs or larvae of the moth miller. 

The size of our New Smoker is the same as 
Bingham's standard, which is plenty large enough 
for all purposes. 

PRICE, $I.OO. By Mall, $i. 25. 




aiuOVES. 



Long Rubber Gloves (manufactured for us) by mail, per pair $ 2 00 

Per dozen, by express 18 00 

Always send the size you want by laying the open hand, palm down, on a piece 
of paper and mark around it with pencil. 



ALL METAL GEAESD HONE! EXTRACTORS, 

CHEAP AND DURABLE. 

By tJie use of the Honey Extractor the apiarian is enabled to control the amount 
of honey in the hiye and keep the bees and queen at work in the breeding apart- 
ment, when they would not enter and work in the surplus boxes, Often in the 
midst of a good honey harvest the hives become so crowded with heney as to 
leave no empty cells in which the queen may deposit eggs to keep up the strength 
of the stock, and the workers having no more space to fill in the body ol the hive, 
hang idly around, and often collect in large bunches at the entrance of the hives. 




Muth's All Metal Extractor (see cut), complete with knife $12 00 

Improved Root Extractor, suitable for any frame not more than 14x20 inches, 

with fine spring steel bent shank knife, honey gate all complete.. $8 50 to $10. 00 

Honey Knives 1 00 

The points of superiority of the Muth over the Improved Root or "All 
Metal" are as follows : First. It is deeper and will hold several gallons below the 
revolving basket. Second, The shape of the basket keeps the honey frame in its 
place and also prevents throwing honey over the top. Third, The upright crank 
Fourth, The covers, etc 

We will promptly furnish either machine on receipt of price, or if no knife 
is needed $1.00 may be deducted. 




COMB-FOUNDATIONS ' 

Have now been extensively, and thoroughly tested by all the prominent 
apiarists of America, and the uniform verdict is that it is a grand suc- 
cess, and of equal value with movable frames, in the line of profitable 
hee-keeping. 

PuES yellow bees- wax is the only material fit to he used in Us manufacture. 
We are prepared to promptly fill all orders at the following prices: 
One to ten lbs. 55 cents per lb. Fifty pounds or over, 50 cents per lb. 
One hundred pounds or more, 45 cents per lb. 

"We make no extra charge for packing. Our largest sheets are 12x24 
inches, and run from 5 to 8 square feet to the pound Our packing boxes 
are thin and light, and paper is placed between the sheets In ordering, 
give inside dimensions of frames. Purchasers pay express or freight 
charges, but if ordered by mail add twenty-five cents per pound to above 
prices for postage and extra packing. Samples by mail, post paid, five 
cents. 



ITALIAN BEES AND QUEENS. 






We shall, as heretofore, supply our customers with only choice 
STOCK, as we know, by experience, that a poor article, especially of live 
stock, is dear at any price, while a good article is cheap at a fair price. 

The following are as low as we can afford to sell, consistent with a 
very moderate profit : 

Full stocks of pure Italian Bees, in movable frame hives, each, . . $15 00 
Three frame nucleus stocks in American or Eclectic hive, with 

tested queen 9 50 

Imported Queens from best districts in Italy 6 00 

Home bred Italian queens, guaranteed to be bred from and fertiliz- 
ed by as good a strain of the genuine Italian as can be found 

in the world,sent in May i ^ 00 

In June, each 3 50 

Same sent from July to October 2 50 

" " « " *' bythehalfdoxen, atonetime,each 2 00 
Italian Queens ordered from other breeders, safe arrival owZ^/ 

guaranteed, each 1 

Cyprian Queens bred direct from imported mothers and fertilized 

by Cyprian Drones, each, 5 00 

Two for $8.00, or three for $10.50. Full stocks in new frame hives 20 00 

Safe arrival in all cases guaranteed. 

BEE VEILS, 

Black Bobinet with elastic cord by mall $ 60 

Per dozen, bymail......... ... * SO 



BEES- WAX EXTRACTOR. 




By the use of this macliine all the old black useless comD ana scraps are turned 
into nice yellow Dees wax, by steam process. 

Sent by express $3 50 

Hot water attachment, extra • 75 

SEEDS OF HONEY PLANTS- 

Lucerne Clover Seed by mail post paid, '^ 1 lb $ 60 

White " '• " " 60 

Melilot " " " '* 60 

Alsike " " " 60 

Rape Seed " " " 30 

Chinese Mustard Seed " " " 60 

Rocky Mountain beeplant, by mail, per 2oz package 20 

Borage Seed = .... " " " 50 

Mignonette " per lb 150 

C.ttnip " " .., 2 00 

Silver Hull Buckwheat (half pound) :^0 

For these and all other seeds in large quantities write us for wholesal© 
prices. 

OUR BEE FEEDER. 

Some ol its advantages over other feeders are the following: Much or little 
may be fed without any change in the feeder. When refllliiig the bees or heat 
cannot escape, fou can always see Just how fast the bees are consuming tlie 
lood wit tiout touching the feeder. As it allows no heat to escape from the hive, 
it may be used at ail "seasons 01 the year with perfect safety. At will feed thick 
or thin syrup as the case may be. 

Our new Bee Feeder, by mail $ 75 

Sent by express, perdoz ~ 6 00 

All money sent by postoffice orders, drafts on Neio York city hanks, 
or, lastly, in registered letters, are at our risk:. Address, 

ORANGE JUDD COMPANY, 

Or, 245 Broadway, NEW YORK, 

A. J. KmCt & CD., 61 ETidson St., New York. 



